Unions representing Ryanair’s Belgium-based staff and the low-cost airline’s management signed a pre-agreement on Thursday regarding wages and working hours, the CNE/ACV Puls trade union federation announced.
The draft accord guarantees the legal minimum wage in Belgium for the sector.
It was obtained thanks to the fight waged by Ryanair workers and their delegates, who organised 11 days of strikes between Summer 2022 and early January this year, Didier Lebbe and Hans Elsen, permanent secretaries of CNE/ACV Puls, recalled.
The pre-agreement will be presented and submitted to a vote by staff next week.
Pre-agreement averts strike threat
There is therefore no immediate threat of strikes. However, the accord must be respected if the agreed social peace is to be guaranteed, representatives of the Christian trade union federation warned.
The pre-agreement does not put an end to the negotiations, as the 'Renault Procedure' regarding the airline’s departure from Brussels airport is still under discussion. Ryanair recently decided to close its base there permanently, justifying its decision, which affects 44 cabin workers and 15 pilots, by the 11% increase in airport taxes from April.
[The term 'Renault Procedure' refers to a 1998 labour law that foresees a legally mandatory consultation period prior to any collective redundancy, along with specific termination indemnity - Editor's note.]
New CLA for stewards and stewardesses under negotiation
Negotiations on a new collective labour agreement for stewards and stewardesses based at Zaventem and Charleroi airports resumed in recent weeks after a months-long stalemate.
The staff had denounced the attitude of the Irish carrier, which had refused to guarantee the legal minimum wage in Belgium. This led to strikes by both cabin crew and pilots early last summer. Further work stoppages by stewards and stewardesses took place over the New Year weekend and the following one.
The Irish carrier finally put a proposal on the negotiating table regarding the company’s Belgium-based cabin crew.
