Bristow Ireland, which is taking over the contract to provide search and rescue services for the Irish Coast Guard, has reached an agreement with the Fórsa trade union and its Irish Airline Pilots’ Association (IALPA) branch.
In August 2023, Bristow signed a contract with the Department of Transport for the provision of rotary and fixed-wing aviation services for the Irish Coast Guard.
Fórsa represents technical crew including winch operators while IALPA represents flight crews including pilots.
The agreement between Bristow and the union covers agreed terms and conditions of employment, as well as a comprehensive disputes resolution procedure between the parties.
The employees involved will transition to Bristow up to June 2025, in line with the intended transition plan and schedule.
Bristow described the agreement as a key milestone in the successful transition of search and rescue operations.
“We are collectively very committed to a successful transition, and we are looking forward to positive ongoing engagement and cooperation,” said Bristow Director Neil Ebberson.
Bristow said it is continuing to engage with the UNITE trade union, which represents engineering staff, and that it expects to move forward with further discussions in early 2024.
The company said it is preparing for a transition to the new contract in the fourth quarter of 2024.
Bristow Ireland will operate six specialised SAR-configured AW189 helicopters from dedicated bases in Shannon, Sligo, Waterford, and Weston.
In addition to the helicopter service, the new Coast Guard aviation service will, for the first time, also include a fixed-wing aircraft service.
