The Irish Airline Pilots Association (Ialpa) has welcomed aspects of new proposals put forward by Aer Lingus aimed at breaking the deadlock in the row over its plans to establish a new base in Belfast.
However, Ialpa, a branch of the trade union Impact, said that many important issues remained to be resolved.
In a statement yesterday, it said the company's recognition of Ialpa at the Belfast base was a welcome development, as was its willingness to allow pilots in the Republic transfer to the new operation in the North on secondment without a requirement to resign, as had previously been the case.
The group said both of these developments were "indicators of progress in the ongoing negotiations" with the company regarding the Belfast operation.
It said it was considering the details of the proposals put forward by Aer Lingus on the terms and conditions to apply to pilots in Belfast: "Following a period of internal consultation, Impact will respond to the Aer Lingus position paper, whereupon we feel it will be necessary for further negotiation in order to reach an agreement."
Ialpa/Impact is expected to issue its own proposals after it considers the Aer Lingus document.
The Aer Lingus proposals were set out in a letter sent by airline chief executive Dermot Mannion directly to all 500 pilots in the company on Tuesday night.
The airline is offering to allow pilots in the Republic to apply to move permanently or on secondment to Belfast for up to five years. However, they would be paid local rates while in Belfast.
Those on secondment would be allowed to retain membership of their existing guaranteed defined-benefit pension scheme.
Pilots moving permanently would have to leave the existing pension scheme and join a new defined-contribution scheme to be established in Belfast.
Under the Aer Lingus proposals, aircraft captains in Belfast would be paid from £76,000 (€109,400) to £96,520 (€138,940), while rates for first officers would run from £40,000 to £50,800. In addition "sector" or performance pay averaging £8,300 would be paid to captains and first officers.
Promotions to the rank of captain in Belfast would be on the basis of merit and not seniority.
Mr Mannion said in his letter that Aer Lingus was "not in a position to import our existing Republic of Ireland seniority agreements and/or other agreements into the proposed Belfast base". He said that Aer Lingus was prepared to recognise Ialpa or its British equivalent in Belfast on condition that its cost-cutting reform plans in the Republic were agreed.
Talks between Ialpa/Impact and Aer Lingus management have been under way for several weeks. They follow a row over the establishment of the Belfast base which almost led to a 48-hour strike by pilots last month.
The union had initially said that it wanted a role in negotiating the terms and conditions to apply to pilots in Belfast.