Pilots of Ireland's Aer Lingus end labor dispute by accepting pay rise

DUBLIN, Ireland: Pilots at Ireland's national airline, Aer Lingus, have voted to accept a substantial pay increase, effectively ending a labor dispute that had caused the cancellation of hundreds of flights.

The Irish Air Line Pilots' Association members backed a 17.75 percent raise recommended by Ireland's Labour Court, which had intervened in the standoff between the pilots and airline management. An impressive 85 percent of union members who returned ballots voted in favor of the deal.

The labor dispute had escalated to an eight-hour walkout on June 30, followed by two weeks of pilots refusing to work overtime, accept changes in set rosters, or take out-of-hours management requests. This industrial action led to the cancellation of about 600 flights. The pilots suspended their industrial action after the Labour Court's intervention.

"Aer Lingus welcomes the outcome of the ballot which has accepted the Labour Court recommendation," the airline said in a brief statement.

Union president Mark Tighe praised the agreement, calling it "the greatest pay award seen in 30 years for Aer Lingus pilots."

Tighe added, "Companies making significant profits must ensure that their employees' remuneration reflects the success of the company, and their salaries are protected from inflation."