Alex Trelinski
UNIONS representing Ryanair cabin crew staff in Spain have announced a schedule of weekly strikes running into January 2023.
The row over higher pay demands and a demanding for better working conditions took a new turn on Wednesday with the USO and Sitcipa unions announcing a strike escalation from early August.
Union members will strike every Monday to Thursday from August 8 until January 7 in protest at Ryanair’s refusal to negotiate.
A joint union statement said: “Ryanair has not shown the slightest attempt to approach the unions but, on the contrary, has publicly stated its refusal to engage in any dialogue with the representatives chosen by its crew.”
USO and SITCIPA also called for the ‘immediate reinstatement’ of 11 dismissed cabin staff who supported strike action in June and July.
They’ve also demanded the closure of around 100 sanctioning files made against workers who went on strike.
Ryanair said that eight flights using airports in Spain were cancelled on Wednesday.
Strikes in June and July, though causing some disruption, have had a comparatively low impact in Spain compared to other countries where Ryanair crews have also been involved in industrial action.
That’s because Spanish law demands a level of guaranteed services where alternatives are not available, meaning that domestic as opposed to international flights have been the hardest hit by cancellations.
READ MORE:
- EXPLAINER: Why Ryanair cabin crews cannot strike on many flights in Spain
- Spanish trade union says seven Ryanair cabin crew staff have been sacked since strikes were announced
