Headinclouds, you certainly have your head somewhere strange!
In Regards to collective agreement, if its legally binding, then your safe
With the greatest of respect you are either young and foolish, or just foolish. The only protection you have when agreements are broken, arbitrarly changed, etc. is dialogue (first). If there is no dialogue then Industrial Action (second) is the only way to protect yourself. Safe you most certainly are not. Unless you come from a country where Industrial Law protects agreements directly, the law is a waste of time and money.
Forget the courts. (In any case, what good is winning in court if you have lost the war by the time they get around to telling you you won?).
Aer Lingus is clear about the fact that they are going to do this without talking, despite earlier undertakings to everybody in sight. O.K. then it is down to a fight. Simple. At least the Aer Lingus pilots actually understood this fact, can pull together and made a decision with minimal fuss. Which is more than can be said for some pilot groups - where there seems to be a rush to see who can be first to give away hard won terms and conditions.
Stuff that for a way of behaving. Those of you who believe in handing over part of their salary to others can send me a PM and I will tell you how to send your money to me.