The move came after Ryanair’s management agreed to acknowledge independent workers’ unions and sit round the table with them. It is the first time in the Irish low-cost airline’s 35-year existence that it has agreed to entertain independent unions. At the heart of the matter was the scheduling of a date for the two sides to meet and discuss matters considered important to the pilots, such as working conditions. Pilots in Italy, Germany and Ireland had also threatened similar action for this week.