A ballot of members in AirNav will open on Friday 1st November and close on Friday 15th November 2024. The ballot will put a new collective labour agreement (CLA) to members. If approved the CLA will deliver an additional 17% in pay terms over the five-year period from 1st January 2025 to 31st December 2029. 

The Staff panel within AirNav met on Wednesday 16th October and decided to recommend acceptance of the proposals contained within the new collective labour agreement.

A meeting of all AirNav members will take place on Thursday 24th October at 1pm. Further local meetings will take place after this date.

Fórsa official David Field said: “This is a very detailed collective labour agreement, and one which would help to secure and protect the incomes of our members at AirNav Ireland over its five-year life span.”

He continued, “The current agreement expires at the end of this year. We will ensure members gain a good understanding of the terms of this agreement, ahead of the ballot.”

The agreement also retains a sectoral bargaining fund to resolve outstanding grade or branch-based issues and claims, set at 1% of basic pensionable pay relevant to the grade, including pensionable allowances.

The pay adjustments over the lifetime of the agreement are as follows:

• 1st January 2025: 2% or €800 whichever is greater
• 1st July 2025: 2% or €800 whichever is greater 
• 1st January 2026: 3% or €1,200 whichever is greater
• 1st January 2027: 3% or €1,200 whichever is greater
• 1st January 2028: 3% or €1,200 whichever is greater
• 1st January 2029: 3% or €1,200 whichever is greater

Under the sectoral bargaining terms, the outcome will be applied to the grade/branch from the first full pay period in 2025, while a number of allowances, such as standby/call-in allowances, will attract general round pay increases to a maximum of 3% per annum over the lifetime of the agreement.

Fórsa assistant general secretary Derek Kelleher said: “I want to acknowledge the detailed and patient work of Fórsa branch activists at AirNav Ireland throughout the negotiation process. We have a brilliant team of representatives and I think their work is reflected in the finalised terms of any agreement,” he said.

AirNav Ireland was formally established on 1st May, 2023, following the enactment of the Air Navigation and Transport Act, 2023. The legislation provided protections to the existing terms and conditions of Irish Aviation Authority (IAA) staff who transferred to AirNav Ireland.

The company, established as a commercial semi-state entity, employs around 600 staff across six different locations, managing air traffic and offer associated services within the 451,000 square kilometres of airspace under Irish control.

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