Fórsa and other unions are engaging with Aer Lingus management on a successor to the current pay agreement for non-pilot staff. The current 39-month deal winds up at the end of next June.

The group of unions, which will be coordinated by the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU) during the talks, has tabled a claim for three separate 4% increases – one each in July 2020, 2021 and 2022.

The unions also want two days’ extra annual leave a year, and other improved benefits.

And they have said the talks must address the introduction of a profit-sharing sharing scheme. Fórsa members recently rejected a Labour Court recommendation on profit-sharing at the airline.

Fórsa official Ashely Connolly said management had agreed to meet on a regular basis over the coming months.