*Translated by Sara Pasino
MALPENSA – On Saturday, October 1 pilots and flight attendants of the airlines easyJet, Volotea, Ryanair and Vueling will return to strike for 24 hours. Uiltrasporti announced: «The protest will continue until the important demands of the workers will be listened to. The attitude of these airlines is constantly undermining the workers’ rights. The pressure and operational fatigue are out of control and have reached unsustainable levels. Industrial relations are now at an all-time low or in some cases even absent. Salaries are insufficient and in the most serious cases they still do not respect the minimum salaries required by law».
The problem of low cost companies
«This situation in our country – Uiltrasporti continues – is not sustainable. We call for the opening of a serious and sensible confrontation with these companies, respecting the workers we represent. We always hope for the establishment of healthy and fair industrial relations that could allow us to find solutions without striking again. In the case of Wizzair, for example, not involved in this strike action, we are waiting to see if the company intends to start a constructive path for the resolution of internal problems involving workers, otherwise we do not exclude in the future new initiatives of protest even with Wizzair».
The layoffs in Vueling
The strikes will last for 24 hours for Ryanair and for 4 hours for Vueling, from 1 pm to 5 pm. The mobilisation of October 1 will concern this time also pilots and flight attendants of the Iberian carrier, company of the IAG group (which also includes British Airways and Iberia). «In fact, after a summer in which the crew, demonstrating great commitment and professionalism, has flown to the limit of hours allowed by law, the workers of the Spanish company have learned that Vueling is planning to make 17 people redundant among the approximately 120 flight attendants employed at the Rome Fiumicino airport. We ask the company to have a constructive and transparent confrontation with the organisations that represent the workers of the company to avoid layoffs and to find solutions that protect those based in Italy. It is also necessary to address with urgency – say Uiltrasporti and Fit Cgil – issues no longer deferrable, such as compliance with the legislation protecting maternity and paternity, for example the exemption of night work for mothers with young children».
The fourth strike
The trade unions have underlined how, after the strikes of the June 8, 25 and 17 the airlines have not opened a debate on these issues yet. Problems that for months have been affecting the crew of Ryanair, Malta Air and CrewLink. «Italian workers continue to claim contracts that guarantee decent working conditions and salaries at least in line with the minimum wages provided for by the national air transport contract of our country».