Ryanair receives contract drafts from unions after strike
Unions objected to Ryanair's refusal to employ staff under the law of the country where they were based. EU rules for mobile aircrews are "clear", according to EU's Employment Commissioner.
Portugal’s SNPVAC union, which represents airline cabin crew, is along with its counterparts in other European countries, sending Ryanair bosses proposed new terms for employees’ contracts, it said in a statement.
Europe’s largest low-cost carrier has been battling with trade unions representing pilots and cabin crew for more than a year, in part over unions’ objections to the carrier not employing staff under the law of the country where they are based.
“The SNPVAC and its European counterparts, based on the statements made by [European employment commissioner] Marianne Thyssen, in order to contribute to the immediate resolution of the dispute that opposes workers/unions and Ryanair .. will send them, by the beginning of next week, proposals for draft employment contracts that comply with the legislation of each country and other regulations,” the union said.
The union’s announcement followed a statement by Thyssen, reiterating to the president of Ryanair, Michael O’Leary, that European Union rules stipulate that the labour laws that apply are those of the country from where the cabin crew flies, and not of the country from where they were hired, that is, Ireland.
EU rules for mobile air crews are “clear”, she said: based on “the place where workers left in the morning and returned in the evening.”
According to the union, the latest move aims at “a decisive breakthrough for the implementation of national law in all employment contracts and in the protection of Ryanair’s cabin crew.”
The low-cost airline, Europe’s largest, suffered strikes in several countries on 28 September.
Source: Lusa
