Ryanair cabin crew call for 'fair living wage' in 34-point list of demands

Less than 24 hours after pilots employed by Ryanair in Ireland announced a strike, the airline’s cabin crew and ground staff have issued a list of 34 demands – ranging from “predictable working hours” to “not being forced to open an Irish bank account”.

The International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF), which convened a meeting of a group called Cabin Crew United, has warned Ryanair could face a series of summer strikes unless it improves its treatment of staff.

Cabin Crew United, representing Ryanair staff across Europe and North Africa, held a summit in the Dublin offices of the Irish trade union, Fórsa.

The “Ryanair Crew Charter”, which emerged from the meeting, contains demands from staff at the airline’s 86 bases in 21 countries.

Most of the document is concerned with cabin crew, and the top demand is: “A fair living wage that reflects the work we do”. Other key concerns are seniority pay, compensation for disrupted schedules, and an end to the extra costs incurred by cabin crew – including food and water on duty, and uniforms.”

Cabin crew also want “parity in living standards across bases” and “a fair, universal pension scheme”.

The document hints at some of Ryanair’s employment practices. Staff say the airline should be working “towards the abolition of agency employment” and should provide employment contracts in the language spoken by the crew member.

The charter also calls for “preserving minimum rest periods in line with EASA [European Aviation Safety Agency] regulation”.

Pressure to make in-flight sales is a key concern, with demands to eliminate the awarding of individual sales commission – saying “crew should not compete with each other”.

Ground staff are demanding “A fair living wage that reflects the work we do,” and working conditions that are “at least in line with the average of the ground handling sector.”

Ahead of the meeting, the federation listed many complaints against the airline, saying: “Conditions at Ryanair have been heavily criticised over the last few years, with the range of issues highlighted including poverty pay, draconian disciplinary procedures, unachievable sales targets and staff having to pay for items that most decent employers provide.”

Last week, the airline signed a recognition deal with Unite covering all UK-based cabin crew it directly employs.

But the ITF says there has yet to be any concrete improvement in conditions, and warns: “If the company does not begin to negotiate with unions in good faith and deliver real improvements for workers across its network, it risks a summer of industrial action.”

Ryanair called the demands "pointless", and said its cabin crew earn up to €40,000 annually; work a fixed five-on/three-off roster (a bank holiday weekend every week); work rosters that exceed all EASA minimum rest requirements; and receive free training, sick pay and an annual uniform allowance of €400.

In a statement to The Independent, the airline said: "Ryanair is already engaged in extensive negotiations with national cabin crew unions across Europe during which all of these, and other issues, are being negotiated, and we have already concluded agreements in the UK and Italy.”