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ARCHIVED - easyJet cabin crew join Ryanair for summer strikes in Spain
The work stoppages will affect flights at easyJet’s three Spanish bases in Barcelona, Palma de Mallorca and Malaga
Budget airline easyJet has heaped yet more travel woe on harried holidaymakers after its cabin crew announced a series of strikes in Spain in July. Ryanair flight attendants have already locked in industrial action at the end of June and the start of July and the latest work stoppages are expected to affect flights to and from easyJet’s Spanish bases at Barcelona, Malaga and Palma.
Earlier this week, the UK’s biggest carrier confirmed that it would be forced to axe around 11,000 flights this summer, and now, the USO union, which represents around 80% of easyJet’s cabin crew across Spain, has confirmed that staff will down tools in three 72-hour work stoppages at fortnightly intervals from July 1.
An easyJet spokesperson said: “We are extremely disappointed with this action as we have made considerable progress towards a new collective labour agreement and so would like to continue a constructive dialogue with them.
“Should the industrial action go ahead there could be some disruption to our flying programme to and from Malaga, Palma and Barcelona during the strike period but at this stage, easyJet plans to operate its full schedule and we would like to reassure customers that we will do everything possible to minimise any disruption.”
The USO claims that talks over wage increases for cabin crew are in a “deadlock situation” but is open to further negotiations. The general secretary said that Spanish easyJet staff are looking for a 40% pay increase, claiming that they currently earn a basic monthly salary of just 950 euros.
Cabin crew based in Barcelona, Malaga and Palma de Mallorca will strike from July 1 to July 3, from July 15 to July 17 and from July 29 to July 31, according to the union.
Ryanair flight attendants based in Spain are equally unhappy with their pay and working conditions and have called industrial action for June 24, 25, 26 and 30 as well as July 1 and 2, although company boss Michael O’Leary is still confident the strike action will be “relatively insignificant”.
Meanwhile, air traffic controllers in Spain are meeting on June 29 and 30 to discuss the "real option" to strike over insufficient staffing numbers to deal with an upturn in air traffic, which is expected to reach pre-pandemic levels this summer.
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