A GROUP of pilots at Aer Lingus has begun a High Court action against the company for failing to pay an increment due earlier this year.
It is understood the pilots argue that their contracts contain provision for them to be paid on an incremental scale which involves annual increases. They maintain that the company withheld the increment – which according to some sources is worth “a couple of hundred euro” per month – that they were due to receive in April. Sources said four pilots were involved in the High Court action and another group has made a complaint to the Labour Relations Commission under the Payment of Wages Act.
Irish Airline Pilots’ Association president Evan Cullen said last night that it would not be commenting on matters before the courts.
A spokesman for Aer Lingus said the case was proceeding through the court but the company had not been served with papers to date. “Here we have a group of pilots who are among the highest paid staff in the company, with pay 20 to 30 per cent above market rates, taking court action about paying them an increment,” he said.
Aer Lingus says its pilots earn an average of €150,000, with some of the top earners on almost €300,000.
Pilot sources said they had concluded a deal in 2008 which stipulated that in return for reforms they would not be subject to any further cost-saving initiatives until 2011.
