DUBLIN: Ryanair has proposed talks with an Irish pilot union before a possible Wednesday strike in a bid to remove the last threat to its Christmas schedule after its surprise offer to recognize unions for the first time.
Two other trade unions — Italy’s ANPAC and Portugal’s SPAC — withdrew plans for Christmas strikes after Friday’s announcement but Ireland’s IMPACT trade union is looking for further reassurances before canceling its walkout.
IMPACT said on Saturday a meeting on Wednesday would come too late to prevent the 24-hour strike planned for the same day. On Saturday evening Ryanair offered to meet on Tuesday instead.
“Ryanair has offered to meet IMPACT/IALPA and their Ryanair pilot committee on Tuesday if that would suit them better,” Chief Operations Officer Peter Bellew said in a statement posted on his Instagram account.
A spokesman for IMPACT said it was ready to meet Ryanair at any time. “Once we meet, we can take a decision on deferring industrial action,” he said.
Bellew said the German union VC had agreed to meet Ryanair on Wednesday to discuss union recognition.
He said Ryanair had offered to meet Portuguese union SPAC on December 21 and that British union BALPA and Italian union ANPAC had agreed to meet with Ryanair in early January. “Let’s keep talking. Get people home quietly for Christmas,” he said.
Ryanair offers to meet Irish pilots ahead of strike date
Ryanair offers to meet Irish pilots ahead of strike date
Saudi Arabia among top states in tech security with 99% score, says official
RIYADH: Programs and security initiatives launched by the Ministry of Interior have contributed significantly to improving quality of life in Saudi Arabia by generating high-quality data that supports planning and enables faster responses, placing the Kingdom in the global spotlight, Khalid Al-Bakr, CEO of the Quality of Life Program, told Al-Eqtisadiah.
He noted that the Unified Security Operations Centers 911 in Riyadh, the Eastern Province, Madinah, and Makkah are among the Quality of Life Program’s initiatives implemented in partnership with the Ministry of Interior, producing data that helps develop plans and ensure swift responses to incidents.
Al-Bakr added that technology has been integrated into security capabilities, including the use of body cameras for security personnel, which has helped maintain high levels of public safety.
He highlighted that reporting violations or crimes via 911 has an average response time of just two seconds, describing it as a technological leap that serves residents and visitors alike and enhances trust in security services.
The CEO of Saudi Arabia’s Quality of Life Program said the Kingdom ranks among the top countries globally in security technology, with a 99 percent rating, emphasizing that Saudi Arabia is a leader in leveraging advanced security technologies to serve residents and visitors, making it an attractive place to live and visit.
Al-Bakr explained that the major transformation in the use of technology — particularly in services provided by the Ministry of Interior — has had a significant impact on quality of life, noting that accessing services such as passport or national ID renewal has become faster and more convenient, often available at the click of a button.
