More strike threats at Ryanair
AS RYANAIR tries to deal with an imminent strike by 100 of their pilots, it looks like the airline’s cabin crew could soon be following suit if the airline does not meet their demands for better sick pay and an end to pushy sales tactics.
Representatives of more than 6,000 Ryanair cabin crew published demands for better pay and conditions as pilots prepare to strike on July 12.
MORE than 6,000 Ryanair cabin crew could be next to strike if the airline does not meet their demands for better sick pay and an end to pushy sales tactics.
The news comes just 24 hours after 100 pilots will go on strike for the first time on July 12 in a row over new working practices.
The strike is expected to cause holiday chaos for thousands of families.
Yesterday, Ryanair cabin crew representatives published a charter of demands for better pay and conditions.
These included the abolition of agency employment, and the removal of sales commission as a basis for promotions, as cabin crew believe it is unfair that the amount of alcohol and other sales they make from the trolley should count towards whether or not they get a promotion.
Other cabin crew demands included calls for better sick pay for crew and more privacy reporting the illness.
A key demand by the the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF), a union umbrella body that represents crew at the vast majority of Ryanair’s bases, was also that employment contracts ‘explicitly’ recognise national law and jurisdiction in the country a worker is based. ‘If Ryanair fails to respond promptly and appropriately then it risks industrial action over the summer,’ a representative warned.
Their union leaders from across Europe spent the last two days compiling the charter of demands under eight headings: economic conditions, safety and rostering, a fair and supportive work culture, agency employment, national contracts, sickness, sales and ground staff. The Irish Transport Workers Federation said that a decision on strike action would be a matter for cabin crew unions in individual countries.
Among the demands is abolition of Ryanair’s requirement that cabin crew members must have a bank account in Ireland, despite working outside the Republic.
A Ryanair spokesman for the airline strongly disputed claims by cabin crew union leaders.
‘These demands are pointless since Ryanair cabin crew already, earn up to €40,000 per annum, more than double the “living” wage, work a fixed 5-on/3-off roster – that’s [like] a bank holiday weekend every week,’ the spokesman said. He also noted that crew cannot, by law fly, more than 900 hours per year.
‘Ryanair is already engaged in extensive negotiations with national cabin crew unions across Europe during which all of these, and other issues, are being negotiated and we have already concluded agreements in the UK and Italy,’ added the spokesman.
Meanwhile, Ryanair pilots balloted by the Irish Air Line Pilots’ Association voted yesterday to back strike action.
Speaking on RTÉ’s Morning Ireland, Martina Nee, of the European Consumer Centre Ireland, said airlines were obliged to take any measure they can to minimise or avoid disruption.
Ms Nee said compensation to Ryanair customers depends on when passengers are notified of a cancellation and if Ryanair offers a re-route or a flight at a later day.
The Irish service union, Fórsa, has told Ryanair it will notify the airline of further possible strikes ‘in due course’.
Ryanair has written to Fórsa asking the union to call off next week’s strike, since the airline already has proposals to present.
It has asked the unions to move forward talks to Monday or Tuesday of next week. Under EU Regulation 261, airlines must offer passengers affected by cancellations a full refund or a re-routing on the next available flight or at a later time that suits the passenger. If you opt for a refund, the airline’s responsibility to you ends. If you ask to be put on the next available flight then the airline must provide care and assistance until you can be accommodated on an alternative flight.
100 pilots will go on strike on July 12 Ryanair disputed union claims