Ryanair: social low fares airline!
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On Monday 17th November 2003, activists from France, Spain and Italy of the European Transport Worker’s Federation (ETF) and from the “Centrale Nationale des Employés (CNE)” and from the “Syndicat des Employés Techniciens et Cadres (SETCA)” organised a symbolic action in front of the Charleroi’s Labour Court to deplore Ryanair anti-social and anti-union practices.
Indeed, Ryanair, which flies in 14 European countries does not recognise any worker organisation and accordingly no trade union has hitherto been able to establish itself in Ryanair to defend cabin crew. The workers are afraid to be unionised because they would loose their jobs.
These workers have Irish contracts and have no possibility to be defended in the country where they routinely perform their work.
In Charleroi, Ryanair has just sacked three workers without respecting Belgian law concerning trial periods, notice periods, overtime, holiday pay, monthly minimum average income, luncheon vouchers and transport expenses.
With this action, demonstrators request:
- to Ryanair, to fully recognise worker organisations and trade unions in all countries where it employs personnel
- to the European Commission to draw up an European law establishing that the work contract of air crew in Europe be governed by the law of the country where the worker routinely performs his/her work even if said worker be temporarily based in another country
- to the Charleroi Labour Court to guarantee to the three sacked workers all social rights according to the Belgian law
- to the European Parliament to study with all due haste the economic and above all social consequences of the economic model of “low-cost airlines” that can only operate within the competition rules defined by the European Union.
Source: ITF News On Line, 17 November 2003
