Ryanair, Easyjet and Volotea aircraft strike: flights at risk today

Discomfort for travelers today, Wednesday 8 June, due to the air strike called by Ryanair, Malta Air, Easyjet and Volotea. Pilots and assistants of the three low cost airlines will cross their arms for 4 hours, from 10 to 14. The protest is proclaimed by Filt Cgil and Uiltrasporti, “given the impossibility of opening a discussion dedicated to the problems that have afflicted the crew for months” . And they re-launch: “Flights at risk all summer if they don’t listen to us”. “Among the open questions – explain the trade unions – the failure to comply with the minimum wages provided for by the national contract, the persistence of an agreement on the cut of wages (contingency agreement) that is no longer current, the arbitrary reductions of the paycheck, the non-payment of sick days, the company’s refusal to grant days of compulsory leave during the summer season and the lack of water and meals for the crew “.” EasyJet workers will protest against the compression of rights culminating in unjustified dismissals, against the lack of operational solidity, to the detriment of passengers and crews and against the total deterioration of industrial relations. As regards Volotea, on the other hand, we are witnessing a continuous anti-union conduct carried out by the company. Unacceptable requests for salary reductions, promotions and economic upgrades at the sole discretion of the company to effectively exercise control over its employees, to which are added disciplinary disputes in contrast with Italian law “, says Uiltrasporto.” The days of protest – concludes the union – will be coordinated with the European trade unions concerned for a shared and concentrated action at transnational level. We hope that the two companies will accept the legitimate requests of male and female workers, otherwise this will be only the first of a series of protests that will make the summer ‘hot’. “” With the strike we ask for the opening of a discussion on the working problems and salary conditions of pilots and flight attendants “, explained the national secretary of FILT CGIL Fabrizio Cuscito, underlining that” without answers on the application of the national contract and on the recognition of rights and protections by the airline Irish and its foreign subsidiaries we will continue with the protests throughout the summer. “” It is unacceptable – argues the national director of Filt CGIL – that Ryanair does not apply the minimum wages provided for by the national contract, among other things violating the provisions of the Italian legislation for air transport. These and other shortcomings towards workers such as unjustified wage reductions, reductions in paychecks, non-payment of sick days and the refusal to grant mandatory leave days are configured as real violations of workers’ rights “. Finally, according to Cuscito, “in a delicate phase like this one of resumption of flights and a way out of the profound crisis in the aviation sector, we need a decisive change of course, starting from a different and more respectful attitude towards our employees”.