MADRID – The Ryanair ground handling strike has been cancelled just hours before it was due to start. The trigger is an “offensive” decree of minimum services from the Ministry of Transport and Urban Agenda. However the Vueling strike is still going ahead as planned.
The decree from the Ministry of Transport and Urban Agenda made it “impossible for workers to carry out the strike, which would eventually last until January,” the USO union said in a statement. The resolution is seen not only as “insulting”, but also as “clearly harmful to the exercise of the right to strike, making it absolutely unfeasible”. Therefore, it will be challenged in the coming days.
Called to protest
The employees of the 22 airports where Ryanair operates and who are responsible for tasks such as ground assistance services, aircraft and passengers were called to protest.
“The Ministry of Transport which appears to be more interested in protecting the interests of companies that violate workers’ rights than in respecting workers’ fundamental right to strike,” has been criticised.
The strike was intended to start negotiations for the first agreement for this group, which has been paralysed since 2020. USO focuses on issues such as occupational risk prevention or shift work.
Strike at Vueling
Meanwhile, it has been announced that Vueling staff will go on strike every Monday, Friday, Sunday and public holiday from November 1 to January 31, 2023. Passengers could also be affected by the strikes on November 1; December 6, 8, 24 and 31 and January 6. The Stavla union has called for this strike out of dissatisfaction with the working conditions of flight attendants.
Vueling hopes the Stavla union strike among the cabin crew group will have a “limited” impact. The minimum services prescribed by the government for the first day of the strike, on November 1, will cover 90% of flights, the airline’s president, Marco Sansavini, emphasised this Friday at an IAG conference to present its quarterly results.
