The Labour Court has said air traffic controllers who ground the country’s three main airports to a halt last week, should be given the 6% pay increase recommended under the last national wage agreement.

The Irish Aviation Authority (IAA) had claimed it was in not in a position to pay the increases at the present time due to financial difficulties it experienced as a result of the downturn in the aviation sector.

It claimed last week’s strike had been sparked by its refusal to pay the increases. However, the controllers’ union IMPACT claimed that was incorrect and that the strike was due to IAA suspending 14 staff for refusing to work with new technology.

A separate ruling by the Labour Court, issued on Thursday, found the new technology represented normal and ongoing change and the controllers should not be given extra remuneration for working with it.

Yesterday the court addressed the issue of pay and pensions for the controllers.

It recommended that the first phase (3.5%) of the national wage deal, which the company had been withholding due to its claim of inability to pay, should be paid with effect from January 1, 2011 with retrospection to January 1, 2009. It said the second phase of the deal (2.5%) should be paid from July 1, 2011 with retrospection to December 31, 2009.

IMPACT trade union said its branch executive will recommend acceptance of the Labour Court’s recommendation to its members. The IAA said it will consider the recommendation.