(Alliance News) - Pilots at Ryanair Holdings PLC are to stage a series of strikes after voting in favour of industrial action in a dispute over pay and conditions.
Ryanair shares closed 4.3% higher in London on Wednesday at EUR9.42 each.
Members of the British Airline Pilots Association voted by 4-1 to back a campaign of action on a 72% turnout.
Strikes will be held from August 22 until August 23 and from September 2 until September 4.
A union statement said: "Decades of Ryanair refusing to deal with unions has resulted in two things. Firstly, a management that apparently doesn't understand how to work with unions, and secondly a company that doesn't have a number of standard agreements that any union would reasonably expect in any workplace.
"That is why our claim includes many issues including pensions; loss of license insurance; maternity benefits; allowances; and a fair, transparent, and consistent pay structure.
"We have made no progress with Ryanair management on any of those areas at all, seemingly because Ryanair management cannot understand how to go about working with us constructively, or how to negotiate. Ryanair has made no offer to the British Airline Pilots Association in respect of its pilots."
Brian Strutton, the British Airline Pilots Association's general secretary, said: "We have had no formal offer from Ryanair and it is imperative that we resolve this dispute urgently to avoid strike action. No pilot wants to spoil the public's travel plans but at the moment it seems we have no choice."
source: PA