Strike action by IALPA members in cargo airline ASL Ireland was called off at the last minute on Tuesday 16th December, after management finally agreed to recognise the union and begin talks on a collective labour agreement.

90 pilots working for ASL, a cargo airline with customers including DHL, FedEx and Amazon, were preparing to strike in a dispute over union recognition and a union-negotiated collective agreement. 

Pilot members of IALPA, a branch of Fórsa, were due to strike on Tuesday, 16th December, and Thursday, 18th December, with an additional 67-hour strike planned for the week of Christmas.

The dispute arose when ASL management refused to engage with IALPA on a CLA covering pilots’ pay and conditions.

However, less than an hour before the strike was to start, management conceded and signed an industrial relations agreement with the union.
Captain Joe Lynch, Chair of the ASL IALPA local group, described it as a “huge achievement” for him and his colleagues.

“This is a massive step forward for our members. I want to thank the principal officers of IALPA for their unwavering support throughout this dispute. We are delighted that IALPA is now fully recognised in ASL and we can begin the important work of negotiating the company’s first collective labour agreement,” he said.

IALPA vice president Daniel Langan said the agreement marked a significant milestone for trade union organisation in the Irish aviation sector.
“IALPA is delighted that ASL management has finally recognised the union and agreed to engage in meaningful negotiations. This means that all major airlines operating in Ireland now recognise IALPA, which is a significant achievement for pilots and for trade unionism in the sector,” he said.

“We look forward to working constructively with management to establish a robust CLA that enhances pay, terms and conditions for our members.”

Captain Langan added that the dispute had raised important principles around union rights.

“Management sought to pick and choose who represented pilots at the negotiating table. This outcome sends a clear message: trade unions are constitutionally entitled to organise, and no employer has the right to interfere in who a union appoints to represent its members,” he said.

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