Ryanair strikes deal with German cabin crew
November 8, 2018
Ryanair on Thursday announced it had reached an agreement with German union Verdi over a wage dispute with German cabin crew.
The Irish airline launched an offensive to strike several labor accords with unions across Europe ahead of the holiday season after facing a series of strikes.
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What's the deal?
- The two-year Collective Labor Agreement (CLA) brings Ryanair's employment practices in line with German labor law.
- It includes pay increases and other benefits.
- The deal needs final approval from the union's members.
- Similar deals have been struck in Italy, Greece and Sweden.
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What did Ryanair say?
Eddie Wilson, the airline's chief people officer, said Ryanair is "pleased to sign this CLA agreement with Verdi, which will lead to pay improvements and other benefits for our German-based cabin crew, subject to them voting in favor of this agreement over the coming week."
"These are further concrete signs of the substantial progress Ryanair is making in concluding agreements with our people and their unions in many different EU countries."
Why now?
Ryanair has been hit by a series of strikes that have forced the airline to cancel hundreds of flights during peak seasons, resulting in significant economic costs.
Ryanair employees have justified industrial action against the airline by accusing it of failing to provide adequate pay and benefits.
The Irish airline is hoping to secure as many deals as possible before the holiday season begins in December.
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What is the next step?
Verdi cabin crew members will vote on the deal before the end of the month. If it fails to receive approval, it would mean back to the drawing board for Ryanair and the union.