Cut-price Irish airline Ryanair has “declined to confirm how many flights were cancelled, delayed or disrupted in Portugal” due to the second 24-hour stoppage on Sunday by cabin crew, but its strike-breaking tactics have been exposed over national television as left wingers demand government involvement.
Bloco de Esquerda MP Heitor de Sousa claims the situation is “absolutely intolerable” – alluding to Ryanair’s refusal to comply with Portuguese labour laws simply because it is based in Ireland.
Worse however has been revelations that the airline already notorious for dumping on its staff – and indeed customers (click here) – has resorted to underhand strike-breaking tactics, allegedly threatening workers with dismissals if they do not comply.
Purported recordings of airline staff ‘recruiting strike-breakers’ have been aired over national television.
In one, a member of Spanish cabin staff asks what will happen to her if she does not do as she is being asked.
She is told that it will be “extremely unlikely” that she ever gets a promotion.
Today (Monday) the Portuguese authority of working conditions has announced it will be looking into these claims, while in Ireland the Irish Independent has carried a story confirming what they call “a unique behind the scenes view of how Ryanair is tackling the disruption”.
The Independent’s text fully backs information coming out in Portuguese media that Ryanair is contacting Spanish cabin crew to stand-in during the dispute, and warning them of “serious consequences” if they don’t.
The bully-boy tactics have prompted PCP communists to call on the government.
“The State, the Government, cannot stand by and do nothing” said the party, when a company “takes the attitude that it is above the law and the Portuguese Constitution”.
Portuguese cabin staff meantime have apologised to the thousands of flyers whose Easter journeys have already been ruined, saying they could not find any other way to air their grievances.
This is an issue that goes back a long way, and a strike that has been threatened for months (click here).
Day three – the third and final 24-hour Easter stoppage – begins on Wednesday with Ryanair showing no signs yet of any kind of backing down.
natasha.donn@algarveresident.com
