DUBLIN: Ireland’s High Court on Wednesday blocked a planned strike by Ryanair pilots in the country due this week that had been triggered by a row over pay.
“The immediate industrial action (due Thursday and Friday) is restrained,” Justice Denis McDonald told the court in Dublin.
Irish trade union Forsa said directly-employed pilots would strike for 48 hours from 00:01 am on Thursday, August 22 (2201 GMT on Wednesday, August 21) — matching planned industrial action from British pilots, escalating an internal pay row at the budget airline.
A strike notice was served on Dublin headquartered Ryanair on Wednesday after mediation stalled earlier in the day.
Ryanair has seen first-quarter net profits plunge by more than a fifth, as it faces rising costs, intense competition and Brexit turmoil, the Irish airline said on July 29.
Performance was also hit by pan-European strikes last year that forced it to cancel flights, affecting thousands of passengers, and offer improved pay to staff via landmark union deals.