STRIKING RYANAIR CABIN CREW ISSUE 34 DEMANDS

Airline hit by 2nd industrial action

RYANAIR cabin crew yesterday issued the airline with a list of 34 demands over pay and conditions – as they pile on the strike misery for travellers.

Cabin Crew United, representing around 8,000 workers, called for changes to rostering and agency employment.

But Ryanair described the demands as pointless, claiming the staff already receive double the living wage, a “bank holiday every weekend” due to a five-day on, three-day off roster, free training, sick pay and an annual uniform allowance.

The airline added: “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.” Cabin crew will strike in Spain, Portugal, Italy and Belgium in the latest escalation of industrial action at Europe’s largest low-cost carrier. Dates will be announced today once authorities in Italy give their approval and other countries may join the action.

The cabin crew will join Irish Ryanair pilots who have announced a strike for July 12, which could see around 120 flights affected. Crew complained at a press briefing that they were forced to physically report to work when sick to provide written details of their symptoms.

They also struggled to claim sick pay as their terms and conditions often straddled the law of Ireland and their home country. The cabin crew, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they feared reprisals, said staff from a number of EU countries were forced to travel to Ireland to open bank accounts to get their pay. Meanwhile, the airline’s customers could claim compensation for next week’s disruption. Paloma Salmeron, passenger rights specialist at Airhelp, said: “Passengers whose flights arrive at the destination with at least three hours delay due to a strike may be entitled to compensation of up to €600 per person.

“This also applies to travellers whose flight is cancelled less than 14 days before the departure date.” The European Court of Justice has ruled airline staff strikes cannot be considered an extraordinary circumstance, which would have relieved them of their duty to pay compensation.