Italian Pilots Union votes to approve Ryanair deal

The Italian Pilots Union ANPAC has voted to approve a collective labour agreement reached with low-cost airline Ryanair following a protracted a Labour dispute, both sides have announced.

The more than 300 members of Italy’s largest airline pilots union approved the agreement by a large majority on Monday evening, the union said on Tuesday.

ANPAC called the deal an “historic event,’’ and “the first collective agreement signed by Ryanair in Europe.’’

Italy is one of the Irish airline’s largest markets.

The agreement, reached after eight months of negotiations and signed in Italy, ensures better protection and pay conditions for pilots, the union said.

Ryanair said it hopes to sign a similar deal with its Irish pilots in the near future.

The airline reached an agreement with Irish pilots’ union Forsa this week, but the pilots still have to vote to approve the deal.

Strikes by Ryanair pilots across Europe have resulted in the cancellation of hundreds of flights during the past two months.

Portugal, Spain, Belgium, Germany, Sweden and the Netherlands are among the other countries that have mounted strike actions.

Ryanair only started recognising pilots unions 2017, taking the step during negotiations to ward off a previous threat of strikes.

The company said on Tuesday that it has invited unions in Britain, Germany and Spain to negotiate in the coming days.