Ryanair in tune with Verdi on law

Ryanair has reached an agreement with German union Verdi relating to pay and conditions for cabin crew that will be put to workers for approval next Tuesday, the Irish budget airline said on Thursday.

Ryanair has been hit by a series of strikes across Europe despite bowing to pressure to recognise unions for the first time almost a year ago.

The two-year collective labour agreement covers all the airline’s cabin crew based in Germany and confirms the application of German labour law and includes pay increases and other benefits, Ryanair said.

Verdi, which represents about 1,000 Ryanair cabin crew members in Germany, said the agreement will only become final once its members have been able to vote on it.

“After nearly a year of negotiation, Verdi sees the preliminary agreement as a step towards improving the working conditions of workers and their salaries,” it said in a statement, adding it will comment on details of the agreement once it has been finalised.

Ryanair said in October it hoped to reach deals with all of its major unions by Christmas, seeking to end disruptions that have hit its profit and shares.

Verdi said it is still problematic that Ryanair does not allow its employees to form works councils and called on legislators to introduce new rules for the sector as a whole.

The airline also said its Italian cabin crew voted overwhelmingly to accept a three-year deal with the three main cabin crew unions reached in September.

“We are pleased to sign this agreement with Verdi, which will lead to pay improvements and other benefits for our German-based cabin crew, subject to them voting in favour of this agreement over the coming week,” Ryanair’s chief people officer, Eddie Wilson, said.

“These are further concrete signs of the substantial progress Ryanair is making in concluding agreements with our people and their unions in many different EU countries.”

Ryanair has signed new recognition agreements with cabin crew unions in Greece and Sweden.

THESE ARE FURTHER CONCRETE SIGNS OF THE SUBSTANTIAL PROGRESS MADE IN CONCLUDING AGREEMENTS WITH OUR PEOPLE