Ryanair strike begins - update from Spain, Portugal,…

Ryanair strike begins - update from Spain, Portugal, Belgium as some flights cancelled

Ryanair has said it will continue with it's normal schedule today as cabin crew strikes cause minimal disruption to its services.

Reuters is reporting that dozens of flights have been cancelled but just a tiny percentage of what the airline operates on a daily basis.

And the airline has said no flights coming out of Spain have been hit by the planned industrial action.

The strikes are taking place in Spain, Portugal and Belgium today as workers protest over their pay.

Cabin crew unions in Belgium, Spain and Portugal called a three-day strike starting on Friday. Staff in France and Italy were expected to walk out over the weekend. Crews in Spain are set to strike again on June 30 and July 1-2.

A Ryanair spokesperson told the Irish Mirror this week: " Ryanair has negotiated collective agreements covering 90 per cent of our people across Europe. In recent months we have been negotiating improvements to those agreements as we work through the Covid recovery phase.

A photo taken on May 23, 2021 shows a Boeing 737-8AS Ryanair passenger plane (flight FR4978, SP-RSM) from Athens, Greece, that was intercepted and diverted to Minsk on the same day by Belarus authorities, landing at Vilnius International Airport, its initial destination. - European Union leaders will discuss toughening their sanctions regime against Belarus on May 24 at their planned summit, after Minsk diverted the Ryanair passenger flight flying from Athens to Vilnius and arrested Belarusian opposition activist Roman Protasevich. (gettyimages.ie)

"Those negotiations are going well and we do not expect widespread disruption this summer."

All the Ryanair strike dates you need to know

Belgium

Trade unions representing cabin crew of Ryanair (RYA.I) plan a strike later in June in Belgium.

The ACV and BBTK unions said they were forced into action because Ryanair was not respecting Belgian labour law covering such issues as the minimum wage or pay of cabin staff for certain pre and post-flight work.

Unions representing Ryanair workers in various European countries said on Friday that they were planning a strike in Belgium from June 24 to June 26.

Portugal

Ryanair's Portuguese cabin crew have said a three day strike will go ahead on June 24, 25 and 26.

Workers are demanding compliance with Portuguese law and better working conditions, Portugal's union of civil aviation personnel SNPVAC said in a statement on Tuesday.

"This mobilisation is not only an opportunity to put the spotlight on multiple attacks on workers' dignity and to make this reality known but also a moment to show unity and solidarity against dumping", the union added.

Spain

The strike in Portugal comes just one day after Ryanair's Spanish cabin crew announced a six-day strike.

The action will take place on June 24, 25, 26 and 30, and on July 1 and 2.

Workers have cited discontent with working conditions and pay as the reason for the strike.

Italy

Ryanair's Italian cabin crew has become the latest to announce strikes after unions representing staff in Italy called for a 24-hour strike on June 25.

The action will coincide with walkouts in both Spain and Portugal.

Unions FILT-CGIL and UIL Trasporti said they sought improved pay and conditions after staging a four-hour stoppage earlier in June.

Irish Ryanair cabin crews have not voted to strike, but the strike action will potentially affect thousands of Irish with holiday plans this summer.

Get breaking news to your inbox by signing up to our newsletter .