The USO and SICTPLA unions have called for 12 new strikes for Ryanair cabin crew members this month, all 24-hour stoppages that will start on Tuesday 12 July and continue on 13, 14, 15, 18, 19, 20, 21, 25, 26, 27 and 28 July, at their ten Spanish airports.
The unions and crew are demanding a change of attitude from the airline, as well as asking that they resume the negotiation of an agreement that includes decent working conditions and compliance with Spanish law for all staff.
In addition, USO and SITCPLA are demanding that the Government, specifically the Minister of Labour and Social Economy, Yolanda Díaz, stops Ryanair from violating labour legislation and constitutional rights, including the right to strike. They are asking Díaz to act against the company which they say does not abide by court rulings, does not comply with the law and uses fear, coercion and threats against its employees.
Already 6 days of strike by Ryanair cabin crew, called by the two unions, have already resulted in 215 cancelled flights to or from Spain and more than 1,255 delays.
The unions say that the airline has committed all kinds of illegalities during the strike including, threats, coercion and even international blackjacking, bringing in Portuguese, Italian and also non-EU crew members, from Morocco and the United Kingdom.
Ryanair crew members are very clear that they will continue to fight for their rights and for the Spanish legislation to be complied with. So far more than 50 workers have been summoned by Ryanair to attend disciplinary hearings, accused of not fulfilling minimum services.
easyJet strikes in Spain are also expected to continue as the airline refuses to negotiate as unions have planned a further 6 strike days in Spain on July 15, 16, 17, 29, 30 and 31.
The strikes are announced at a time when many thousands of British holidaymakers’ plan to fly to Spain at the start of the UK school holidays.
Cabin crew based in Barcelona, Malaga and Palma de Mallorca already walked out from July 1 to July 3, as they demand a 40% increase in their basic salary. Cabin crew based in Spain currently get a basic salary of €950 per month, according to the union, which is 850 euros less than their colleagues in France and Germany.
To make matters worse, staff at several European bases have last week signed new and improved salary and working conditions agreements with the airline.
However, Spain’s general secretary of the USO, Miguel Galán, has said they is one final opportunity to avoid the strikes with a meeting that has been scheduled for Wednesday 13 July when the unions will present a fresh list of demands which include a base salary increase in line with the CPI, supplementary pay for seniority, remuneration for training hours and additional pay for refresher courses outside Spain.
Galán has warned that if they leave Wednesday’s talks empty-handed, the strikes will go ahead.
Staff also want the airline to implement flight limitation measures, as has been done in other European countries, as well as the annual replacement of new uniforms and footwear.
Meanwhile in the UK, British Airways has reached an agreement with its check-in and ground staff narrowly avoiding industrial action at Heathrow.
