Bristow Ireland reaches agreement with unions
The operator described the deal as a “key milestone” in its takeover of Irish Coast Guard search and rescue (SAR) operations
Bristow Ireland has reached an agreement with the Irish Air Line Pilots’ Association (IALPA) and Fórsa trade unions, with the aim of smoothing its takeover of SAR operations on behalf of the Irish Coast Guard.
The company stated that this was a “key milestone” in transitioning SAR operations from the previous operator, CHC Ireland.
Fórsa represented the technical crew (winch operators/winchmen) in the negotiations, while IALPA represented flight crew.
Under the terms of the agreement, “employees will transition to Bristow Ireland Limited up to June 2025, in line with the intended transition plan and schedule”. The agreement also laid out the “terms and conditions of employment, as well as a comprehensive disputes resolution procedure” between Bristow and the unions.
The company has stated that it is still engaging with the Unite union, which represents the engineering staff – with the expectation of further discussions early this year.
Bristow signed the contract to take over SAR provision on behalf of the Irish Coast Guard in August 2023, and is due to take over operations in entirety from the end of this year.