Ryanair cabin crews in four countries announce strike days

Thu, 05 Jul, 2018 - 13:56

Ryanair cabin crews in four countries are to go on strike for 24 hours on July 25.

The budget airline's cabin crew in Portugal, Italy, Spain and Belgium announced the date of the strike today which they are holding in a dispute over better conditions.

Cabin crews in Portugal, Spain and Belgium will also walk out on July 26.

It follows a ballot of around 100 Irish Ryanair pilots on Tuesday where 99% voted in favour of a 24-hour strike which will start at 1am on Thursday, July 12.

Ryanair pilots based in Dublin say they have seen no evidence whatsoever that management are willing to engage in meaningful negotiations with them.

Intending passengers have yet to find out if the strike will go ahead next week.

In a statement by parent union Forsa, the pilots say they have always been willing to meet with Ryanair, but they say management have no intention of negotiating on what they say are reasonable requirements.

The summer period is the busiest and when Ryanair earns a major part of its near €1.5bn in annual profit.

Update: 5.35pm: Meanwhile, Ryanair has called again for the pilot strike to be called off and for a meeting to be held with union representatives next week.

In a statement, the airline asked FORSA trade union to call off "or at least postpone" next Thursday's strike and to hold a meeting on Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday to negotiate the issues.

"Given that FORSA and cabin crew met with Airside last Friday (29 June) there's no good reason why FORSA and pilots won't meet in Airside to avert this unnecessary strike," Ryanair said.