Ryanair strikes begin: Cabin crew start five month walkout over working conditions

Ryanair cabin crew in Spain have simply began 5 months of strikes that would trigger chaos for an estimated 1.4 million passengers. 

After June and July had been marked by walkouts at airports, two unions, Unión Sindical Obrera (USO) and SITCPLA, referred to as for 5 months of business motion that can final from 8 August to 7 January 2023.

Strikes will happen each week, from Monday to Thursday, and can final 24 hours, sources from USO informed Euronews Journey. They’ll proceed by means of the late summer time season and Christmas interval when there’s normally excessive demand. 

The earlier 18 days of strikes for the reason that starting of the summer time induced an estimated 310 cancellations and about 3,455 delays at 10 Ryanair bases in Spain – notably at Barcelona’s El Prat airport. 

“Latest strikes by USO/SITCPLAhave been poorly supported with minimal impact,” Ryanair stated in an announcement. 

The airline added that it expects minimal disruption this winter. On Monday, nonetheless, round 61 flights had been reportedly affected by the most recent wave of walkouts. 

What do the employees need from Ryanair?

The unions’ calls for embrace a name for the fast reinstatement of the 11 employees fired for hanging this July.

“We’re seeing a trickle of dismissals nearly day by day. Final week it was the tenth employee and yesterday one other colleague from Barcelona who had been with the corporate for 12 years,” union sources say. 

They’re additionally calling for an finish to disciplinary proceedings in opposition to nearly 100 employees who took half within the stoppages.

“They’re utilizing this as a manner of intimidating the workforce. It’s their manner of warning employees to watch out about occurring strike,” says a union spokeswoman.

Regardless of the state of affairs, they are saying firm refuses to sit down down with the unions. 

“There has not but been any sort of cooperation on their half,” the USO says. 

“Even with all of the obstacles, there was between 35 per cent and 40 per cent of the strike observe up”.

This new motion will primarily have an effect on the airports of Madrid-Barajas, Barcelona, Malaga, Alicante, Seville and Palma de Mallorca. Each nationwide and worldwide connections together with flights to and from Spain shall be disrupted. 

What are the union’s calls for?

The employees’ calls for embrace “the appliance of fundamental labour rights”, within the phrases of the union. 

A couple of months in the past, Ryanair left negotiations with USO and Sitcpla to return to an settlement with CC OO, one other of the unions. Solely employees affiliated with CC OO will have the ability to profit from the circumstances of the settlement, one thing that USO does not suppose is appropriate. That is what led to the strike. 

What they’re asking for is the appliance of Spanish labour laws on relaxation breaks and the implementation of the 14 public holidays that Spanish employees have – as a substitute of the 9 that the corporate presents. 

They’re additionally calling for the tip of subcontracting by means of employment businesses equivalent to Workforce and Crewlink underneath Irish laws.

As well as, they’re demanding a wage improve to return their pay to pre-pandemic ranges. COVID introduced a substantial pay cut for the workforce as a result of standstill skilled by all airways and the unions level out that workers’ pay has not recovered.

Additionally they declare that they’re solely paid for hours flown. The unions are asking for his or her base wage to be at the least the minimal interprofessional wage.