East summer 2022when the airline industry was betting on its recovery with the strong reactivation of demand, it has had to face two important challenges: the shortage of personnel in critical areas of customer service and the high level of labor conflict that has led to continuous calls for strikes of active personnel, demanding the restitution of the working conditions and salaries they had before the pandemic, once the airlines have recovered or even exceeded the operating levels of 2019.
After the conflicts between different groups -ground staff, cabin crew (TCP) and pilots- in June, July and August, the conflicts continue to extend into September or, as in the case of the Ryanair TCP, that the Stoppages have been extended until winter, on January 7, 2023.
turbulent august
The high summer season closed with the final stoppages of the EasyJet pilots, who this Monday concluded the third and final round of their strike held on the 12th, 13th, 14th, 19th, 20th, 21st, 27th, 28th and 29th of August, due to the fact that the negotiation of the second collective agreement has been stalled since last year and that the company has not wanted to restore their working conditions prior to the pandemic.
Conference this Sunday, August 28, at the Barcelona-El Prat Airport (Photo: EFE/ Toni Albir)
During the worst months of the crisis, they agreed with the British low cost a two-year salary freeze, the temporary reduction of 8% of the basic salary, as well as the elimination of winter supplements, in exchange for reducing the number of layoffs, But the situation continues today, when the airline has already recovered about 90% of its pre-pandemic activity.
Ryanair: stoppages until January
The second phase of strike at Ryanair of cabin crews, convened by the USO and Sitcpla unions from August 8, 2022 to January 9, 2023, continues its course every week, from Monday to Thursday, in its 10 Spanish bases – Barcelona, Madrid, Palma of Mallorca, Girona, Valencia, Ibiza, Malaga, Santiago de Compostela, Seville and Alicante-, since the Irish low cost does not take the hint.
The workers ask for the application of the statutory minimums of the Spanish legislation in labor and trade union matters, beginning with a collective agreement; the immediate reinstatement of the 22 workers dismissed so far and the filing of all the more than 200 sanctioning files opened due to the stoppages.
10-day strike at Iberia Express
This Sunday, August 28, the cabin crew of Iberia Express began a strike of 10 stoppages until September 6, inclusive, called by USO, after attempts to reach an agreement during the mediation meeting with management failed. of the airline.
Undated pilot strikes
Lufthansa pilots voted, by a majority of more than 97%, in favor of calling a strike, since talks with the company on wages and working conditions were proving to be a resounding failure.
With that ace in hand, the Vereinigung Cockpit (VC) union has continued negotiations throughout August, but last Thursday afternoon, after receiving a third salary proposal from the German airline, which does not fully meet the aspirations of the collective, decided that they will be able to call another Lufthansa strike with immediate effect, although no dates have been decided.
This week, they could be joined by the pilots of the low cost subsidiary Eurowingswhose vote to go or not to strike ends this Wednesday, August 31.
VC said Lufthansa’s latest offer went in the right direction but fell short of the union’s demands, which include a 5.5% pay rise this year for its pilots and automatic compensation for inflation thereafter.
More on the subject of strikes:
– Strike at Iberia Express: only 24 canceled flights confirmed, at the moment
– Strike at Iberia Express: these are the canceled flights according to USO
– Strike at Iberia Express: these are the minimum essential services
– Strike at Lufthansa: pilots reject salary offer and prepare
– Strike at Easyjet: Sepla challenges minimum services
– Strike at EasyJet: now the pilots, starting August 12
– Ryanair strike: there will be stoppages for five months until January
– Air chaos causes returns and cuts the confidence of the traveler
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