Ryanair pilots have voted in favor of a strike due to an ongoing dispute between the company and its employees about the right to collective bargaining, according to IMPACT trade union.

According to the agency, several trade unions across Europe are preparing for strikes in connection with the demand for negotiations on the conclusion of collective labor contracts.

“The voting in Dublin involved only employees whom the company hired directly, without involving agencies. Of the 84 voters, 79 voted in favor of a strike, three were against, and one did not return the ballot,” the agency writes.

Employed directly by the company, pilots are usually commanders, so a strike would likely affect passengers.

According to the representatives of IMPACT trade union, quoted by Bloomberg, the Irish pilot union IALPA will hold a meeting on Tuesday to decide on the next steps.

Ryanair in its submission stated that it had not received notice of any strikes their pilots in Dublin and that it assumes that voting was more like a “PR stunt” by IALPA. The company also expects pilots from Dublin to follow colleagues in other Irish cities and agree to a salary increase of 20%. In addition, Ryanair reported that pilots participating in the strike will lose their benefits and bonuses.

The air carrier does not recognize the activities of trade unions and negotiates with employees only through representative staff committees (Employee Representative Councils, ERC) – small groups representing individual airports.

In early September, Ryanair said that it annuls about 40-50 flights every day until the end of October, then it decided to cancel flights also in the winter. At this step, the carrier was forced to go, as pilots and other employees refused to go to work without leave after the overloaded summer period.