LEO’S APPEAL AS 20 FLIGHTS AXED
Taoiseach wants Ryanair deal as 4th strike looms
LEO Varadkar has urged Ryanair and unions to reach a deal after the airline axed 20 more Irish flights yesterday.
The carrier said it was forced to call off services affecting 3,500 flyers when pilots voted for a fourth strike next Friday.
Speaking in Rome, the Taoiseach urged both sides to think of the impact another walkout will have on customers.
He said: “They are the ones that pay the wages of the pilots and cabin crew and ultimately pay the dividends of shareholders and keep the board in office.
“I would ask they get around the table, come to an agreement and allow things to return to normal”. Ryanair added the Forsa union rejected its offer to meet yesterday and discuss plans to pull six planes out of Ireland and cut 300 jobs.
The airline said the 3,500 flyers hit by next week’s action will be refunded or put on other flights.
This week, Ryanair warned of job losses for more than 100 pilots and 200 cabin crew in Dublin, blaming recent industrial action in a dispute over pay and conditions. The move comes as Ryanair cancelled up to 600 flights across European after a mass walkout by cabin crew.
Sinn Fein’s Imelda Munster described Ryanair’s threat to sack workers and move their planes out of Ireland as “absolutely shameful”.
She said: “I am urging Ryanair to cut the macho posturing, and address the issues affecting staff for years.” The airline’s Peter Bellew added: “We regret base aircraft reductions at Dublin but the board has decided to allocate aircraft to markets enjoying strong growth.”