Court Rules Against Ryanair in Union Rights Case

DALLAS — The British Airline Pilots Association (BALPA) has won a significant victory against Ryanair (FR) in a Court of Appeal ruling that found the airline's treatment of striking pilots violated UK blacklisting regulations.

The case stemmed from a 2019 labor dispute when FR withdrew travel benefits from pilots participating in legal strike action. The airline had imposed a 12-month suspension of these concessions, a move that BALPA successfully argued constituted illegal blacklisting under UK law.

Quote from the judgment:

“There can be no real dispute that the natural meaning of the phrase “activities of an independent trade union” includes organising industrial action.”

A Win for UK Unions

The ruling represents a significant win for workers' rights. The court confirmed that employers cannot penalize employees for engaging in lawful industrial action. The Secretary of State for Business and Trade's intervention underscored the case's importance.

BALPA's legal team, which included five King's Counsel, Stuart Brittenden KC, and Bruce Carr KC, successfully demonstrated that FR's actions violated regulations designed to protect workers from discriminatory practices. The law firm Farrer & Co. represented the affected pilots.

The decision sets a significant precedent for the broader trade union movement, reinforcing protections for workers who exercise their legal right to strike. It establishes clear boundaries around how employers can respond to industrial action and affirms the role of trade unions in defending workers' rights.