Ryanair workers in Europe name 12 more strike days

Unions urged Spain 'not to allow airline to violate labour legislation'

Ryanair employees hold flyers reading "Support our strike" and t-shirts reading "Ryanair must change" as they protest at the Terminal 2 of El Prat airport in Barcelona on June 24, 2022. - Trade unions representing Ryanair cabin crew in Belgium, France, Italy, Portugal and Spain have called for strikes this coming weekend, while easyJet's operations in Spain face a nine-day strike next month. (Photo by Pau BARRENA / AFP)Show less

Spain-based cabin crew at Ryanair plan to strike for 12 more days this month to demand better working conditions, two unions said on Saturday as the summer tourist season gets under way.

The announcement came on the final day of the crews' current strike, which began on Thursday and forced Ryanair to cancel 10 flights in Spain on Saturday.

Workers at Ryanair and easyJet, another low cost carrier, both took strike action at the weekend in a dispute over pay and conditions.

Ryanair cabin crew will now also strike on July 12-15, 18-21 and 25-28 across the 10 Spanish airports where the company operates, the USO and SICTPLA unions said.

“The unions and crew of Ryanair … demand a change of attitude from the airline,” they said. They called for Ryanair to resume negotiations over issues including payment of the minimum wage.

EasyJet said staff had already announced further walkouts from July 15-17 and July 29- 31.

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  Passengers wait to check in at Charles de Gaulle airport, north of Paris. Flights from French airports faced disruptions on Friday as airport workers went on strike. AP

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  The airport employees have demanded wage increases that protect their incomes from rising inflation. Reuters

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  Passengers look at departure boards at Charles de Gaulle airport in Paris. Reuters

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  Passengers affected by the strike, involving Ryanair employees, wait to change their ticket at El Prat airport in Barcelona, Spain. AFP

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  Passangers queue at El Prat airport in Barcelona. About thirty Ryanair flights were cancelled in Spain on Thursday, while 124 others were delayed, on the fourth day of a strike by the company's cabin crew. AFP

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  A young passengers tries to sleep at El Prat airport in Barcelona. AFP

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  A woman holds a placard reading 'Ryanair, low salaries made simple' as she protests at El Prat airport in Barcelona. AFP

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  Ryanair employees hold flyers as they protest at El Prat airport. AFP

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  Ryanair cabin crew and pilots gather during a three-day-strike over labour conditions at Charleroi Airport in Belgium. AFP

The unions urged Spain “not to allow Ryanair to violate labour legislation and constitutional rights such as the right to strike”.

“After six days of strike and in view of the unwillingness of the company to listen to its staff and its preference for leaving thousands of passengers grounded rather than sitting down to negotiate an agreement under Spanish law, we have been forced to call new strike days,” said USO's Lidia Arasanz.

Ryanair cabin crew unions in Belgium, Spain, Portugal, France and Italy joined the strike but the airline said less than two per cent of its flights scheduled over last weekend had been affected.

Ryanair said it expected “minimal (if any) disruption to its flight schedules in July as a result of minor and poorly supported Spanish labour strikes”.

It added: “Air traffic control strikes and airport staff shortages across Europe (which are beyond Ryanair's control) may however cause some minor disruption and passengers whose flights are disrupted … will be notified by email/SMS.”

Airline workers across Europe have been staging walkouts as the sector adapts to a resumption of travel after pandemic lockdowns were lifted. Staff shortages have been blamed for lengthy delays and queues.

Spain-based cabin crew at easyJet are striking for nine days this month for higher pay. The airline cancelled five flights from Spain on Saturday.

Workers at Charles de Gaulle airport in Paris went on strike on Friday and into Saturday, forcing cancellation of about 10 per cent of flights.