First day of second round of Ryanair strike action causes more cancellations

Government of Catalonia fines Ryanair €40,000 for 'unfair' commercial practices

Image of Ryanair aircraft. Image: Ryanair Press Office

More disruption was caused at the 10 Ryanair bases across Spain as the second round of industrial action by cabin crew started.

As reported by the USO union, up until 7pm on Tuesday, July 12 – the first day of the second round of strikes by Ryanair Spanish cabin crew (TCP) – at the airline’s 10 bases across the country, a total of 15 flights had been cancelled, and 234 delayed.

 

According to Iglesias, five workers were fired and another 90 face disciplinary action for supporting the strike. He demanded that the Government “try to do something”, as the unions have asked him on three occasions, to which the Minister of Work has failed to issue any response.

He said the company must sit down with the unions to negotiate the collective agreement under Spanish law. In addition to this Tuesday’s industrial action, USO and Sitcpla have announced 24-hour strikes for July 13, 14, 15, 18, 19, 20, 21, 25, 26, 27, and 28 at the ten Spanish airports where Ryanair operates.

Their first wave of strikes caused up to 215 cancelled flights and delays, and another 1,255 throughout Spain, according to information from the unions.

A Ryanair spokesperson assured that less than one per cent of its flights to and from Spain had been affected this Tuesday by the “little supported” strikes of the cabin crews. They claimed that the majority were working normally, with the airline expecting a minimal disruption of their flights.

This was explained by the company in a statement, in which it alluded to article 10 of Royal Decree 17/1977. It states that Ryanair is obliged to operate ‘minimum service’ flights, so the crew also has the duty to operate those flights ‘essential to protect passengers’ travel plans’. 

As the airline stressed, all minimum services are clearly communicated to the entire crew, informing them that the strike is not allowed on these protected flights.

In its statement, Ryanair acknowledged that there had been a small number of cases in which the crew ignored this requirement causing an ‘unnecessary interruption’ in the plans of the passengers. The airline insisted that it respects the right to strike but that the crew cannot refuse to operate minimum service flights, since that action is illegal.

Ryanair pointed out that the Spanish courts have recently confirmed the decision to maintain the dismissal of crew members who deliberately refused to operate minimum service flights in a previous airline strike.

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Written by

Chris King

Originally from Wales, Chris spent years on the Costa del Sol before moving to the Algarve where he is a web reporter for The Euro Weekly News covering international and Spanish national news. Got a news story you want to share? Then get in touch at editorial@euroweeklynews.com

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