Ryanair cabin crew to strike for six days this summer

Ryanair cabin crew will go on strike for six days this summer over pay and work conditions, its main unions announced yesterday.

The staff members in Spain are set to walk out on June 24th, 25th, 26th and 30th, as well as on July 1st and 2nd over working conditions and pay, officials for USO and SITCPLA unions confirmed this week.

The labor organisations also said they’re coordinating with five more unions in Belgium, France, Italy and Portugal to organise continent-wide protests if Ryanair refuses to negotiate.

While Ryanair staff in the UK have not yet announced their own strike action, the industrial action could impact Brits hoping to fly to Spanish holiday destinations this summer.

Pixabay

It could also add pressure onto airports already struggling with staff shortages, an issue that has seen a number of airlines cancel hundreds of their scheduled flights.

Last week, Ryanair said it does not expect ‘widespread disruption’ as a result of the planned strikes, with it saying in an email obtained by Bloomberg: “Negotiations are going well and we do not expect widespread disruption this summer.

Read More: British Airways and ‘consistently terrible’ Ryanair voted worst airlines in new survey

“Recent announcements by the much smaller USO and SITCPLA unions are a distraction from their own failures to deliver agreements. We believe that their strike calls will not be supported by our Spanish crews.”

A spokesperson for the airline also told The Mirror last week: “Ryanair has negotiated collective agreements covering 90% of our people across Europe.

North West Transport Photo / Flickr

“In recent months we have been negotiating improvements to those agreements as we work through the Covid recovery phase.

“In Spain, we are pleased to have reached a collective agreement with CCOO, Spain’s largest and most representative union, delivering improvements for Spanish-based cabin crew and reinforcing Ryanair’s commitment to the welfare of its cabin crew.”

This comes as airports across the country continue to experience severe delays and disruption amid increased passenger demand and staff shortages caused by the Covid pandemic.

This week, budget airline EasyJet announced it would be cancelling hundreds more flights throughout June in a bid to alleviate the issues experienced in airports.