The ugly row between Portuguese cabin crew and cut-price Irish airline Ryanair is escalating today as unions threaten legal action and look like getting support from counterparts in Spain and Germany.
At the same time, Portugal’s confederation of trades unions has reiterated the call for the government to get involved.
Ryanair receives “millions of euros in public support in return for bringing tourists to Portugal” explains CGTP secretary-general Arménio Carlos, thus there is “no justification” for the company flouting national labour laws.
“We cannot be financing companies that question issues like paternity and maternity rights”, he told journalists. “Portuguese law cannot be put to one side, nor the rights of workers put under pressure”.
But that is exactly what Ryanair cabin staff say has been happening in this latest round of strike action, particularly blighting flights in and out of Lisbon and Porto (click here).
With tomorrow seeing the last on three scheduled 24-hour walkouts, SNPVAC – the cabin crew syndicate – has said it will be taking Ryanair to court over the pressure it has been putting on staff from other countries to substitute striking Portuguese workers.
That pressure has ‘relieved’ some of the casualties of the strike. Say reports, as of Tuesday evening around 27 flights had been cancelled, at least seven less than would have fallen had Ryanair not been able to come up with substitute cabin staff.
Tomorrow, union leaders will be meeting with Spanish and German counterparts in Porto and Lisbon.
Ryanair meantime has confirmed that it has been substituting cabin crews with staff from other countries, writes tabloid Correio da Manhã.
That confirmation came in the form of “an internal note” in which the company thanked outside cabin crew for their help, said the paper.
natasha.donn@algarveresident.com
