The budget airline Ryanair, and the CCOO union which represents cabin crew, have reached “a historic agreement” to improve working conditions.
The agreement includes immediate salary increases and salary restoration; wage equalisation on the rise in all bases in Spain; more guaranteed fixed salary, instead of variable salary; the consolidation of a minimum annual working day; a fixed schedule of five days of work and three days off; permanent and direct employment contracts; total guarantee of all Spanish labour rights, including those included in the last approved labour reform, and total guarantee of the most beneficial condition for CCOO members.
Likewise, a calendar is established to negotiate and sign a complete collective agreement before October 2023 that will provide “greater benefits and improvements” for all the company’s cabin staff that includes, among other matters, new increases, professional development, regulation of swaps/exchanges or seniority.
The general secretary of the Air and Tourist Services sector of the CCOO Federation of Citizen Services (FSC-CCOO), Jon Herrera, explained at a press conference that they intend to expand the points of the agreement for July 31, incorporating, for example, the possibility of requesting a reduction in working hours for more reasons than those established by Spanish law. Likewise, another “advanced” point is the regulation of both voluntary and involuntary passes of workers between bases.
Herrera has pointed out that for the union it is an “important, historic” agreement and has stressed that the cabin crew “have to feel that the CCOO is going to be there to listen to what they need.”
Ryanair’s Director of People, Darrell Hughes, has highlighted that working conditions in Spain “have been complicated”, as well as the transition from Irish conditions to Spanish ones, but considers that “thanks to this agreement, job improvements will be achieved”.
