Ryanair passengers face possible disruption next week in what could be the first of a series of pilot strikes in the Republic and other European countries over representation rights. Up to 117 members of the Irish Airline Pilots’ Association, part of trade union Impact, employed by Ryanair at Cork, Dublin and Shannon airports are set to strike on Wednesday, December 20th...

The union served notice on Ryanair on Tuesday after members voted for industrial action... 

Pilots are campaigning for a new collective bargaining system to replace the employee representative councils that negotiate for staff at each of the airline’s 80-plus bases across Europe... Ryanair refuses to deal with the new organisation that pilots want to represent them, the European Employee Representative Council (EERC), saying that its existing approach has Supreme Court backing...

Ryanair said it would deal with “any such disruptions if, or when they arise”, and [...] warned that pilots taking part would be in breach of a Dublin base agreement, and would lose benefits... Ryanair argued that the notice issued on Tuesday proved that the action was about recognition for the “Aer Lingus pilots’ union” and not pay and conditions...

News of a possible strike at the airline’s Irish operations came as Ryanair pilots in other European countries signalled plans for similar action.