Sir, In relation to the Aer Lingus pilots' pay dispute, there are two questions which people seem to have asked, namely where did the figure of 17 per cent come from, and how could such a figure be paid to any staff group? These are questions which Mr McGann, our chief executive answered in a very misleading fashion.
Mr McGann suggested that the figure of 17 per cent was popped up from nowhere by the pilots. The reality is that they never asked for any such figure. Following from an agreement with the company for resolving grievances and disputes, a tribunal was established which examined in great detail the job of pilot within Aer Lingus, and also the company position. After very detailed submissions from both sides, a figure of 17 per cent was awarded to the pilots.
Why, you may ask, such an (apparently) large figure? The facts are that Aer Lingus pilots are amongst the most productive in Europe, yet are paid approximately half the European average. Furthermore, both Ryan Air and Translift, two smaller Irish companies, pay the majority of their pilots approximately twice what Aer Lingus does (a fact not well known). So herein lies the figure of 17 per cent.
In relation to ability to pay, this payment was to be spread over three financial years. The first five per cent of this is due in October, costing just £200,000 in total considerably less than what some of our executives earn. However, Mr McGann deviously quoted a cost of tens of millions, which represents an immediate payment of 17 per cent across the whole company.
Pilots did not ask for such an increase, and to suggest that any other group within Aer Lingus would is ludicrous. However, the fact remains that pilots bravely submitted themselves to an independent tribunal, prepared to accept the outcome, good or bad. The tribunal was conducted to the very best industry practice and made this phased award to the pilots.
Only in the recent past had Aer Lingus tried its bully boy tactics on the much maligned Cabin Crew section a stunt for which it got its knuckles rapped by the Labour Court. Wasn't it time it abandoned these tactics and showed a bit of honesty, fair play and honour in dealing with its staff? Yours, etc.,
Pilot, Aer Lingus, Seabury View, Malahide, Co Dublin.