This Friday, easyJet cabin crew began a strike scheduled for May 26, 28 and 30 and June 1 and 3, accusing the airline of “precariousness and discrimination” towards other countries.
In a statement dated May 11, the National Union of Civil Aviation Flight Personnel (SNPVAC) said that easyJet continues to consider the crew of Portuguese bases as minor workers, perpetuating their “precariousness and discrimination against colleagues from other countries.” .
According to the union, “the atmosphere of tension and discontent and the long stalemate in resolving the different labor conflicts led the SNPVAC to present a new strike notice”, having “sent a letter to the company, the Ministry of Infrastructure, Ministry of Labor, Solidarity and Social Security, Ministry of Economy and the Sea and DGERT, communicating notice of strike for May 26, 28 and 30 and May 1 and 3 June 2023″.
easyJet crew on strike for 5 days in late May/early June
The strike will cover “all flights operated by easyJet” as well as the “other services to which the cabin crew are assigned”, whose “presentation schedule occurs in national territory from 00:01 hours and ending at 00:01 hours of each of the days” mentioned, reads the notice prior to the strike, announced by the Union.
“Cash benefit modification proposals already put forward by the company are even worse, if not worse, well below the acceptable threshold to guarantee a decent job for cabin crew”, indicated the structure, adding that “easyJet remains ‘deaf’ to the economic difficulties experienced by its crew, due to low income, given the recognized increase in the cost of living, that suffocates workers and endangers the well-being and comfort of their families”.
The union emphasized again that “in other countries and bases where the company has a level of profitability lower than that observed in Portugalcolleagues obtained significant increases”, referring to the fact that “the climate of tension and discontent has worsened due to the long and intolerable impasse in the resolution of the different labor conflicts, for which it is concluded that easyJet’s ultimate objective is to prolong indefinitely the position adopted ”.
The union considers that, taking into account the existence of alternatives, specifically on flights to the Azores and Madeira, “There are no minimum services to ensure”.
That same day, easyJet said it was “extremely disappointed” with the strike call, saying the “union’s current proposal is unworkable.”
“The union’s current proposal is impractical, especially considering that what we pay our workers is above the national average wage,” he guaranteed in a statement.
“We will do everything possible to mitigate the impact it may have on our customers, including changes to flights before the strike,” the company said, noting that “customers whose flights are affected will be contacted directly via SMS or emailthrough the data provided at the time of booking”.
The airline also said that all customers whose flights are canceled “are eligible for a refund or free change to a new flight”recommending that they confirm the status of their flights.
In a statement dated May 19, SNPVAC guaranteed that “easyJet previously decided to proceed with the massive cancellation of flights: of the original 458 flights to leave the Portuguese bases in Lisbon, Porto and Faro, the company has already canceled 384 flights in advance, that is, 84% of the planned flights”.
The union says easyJet has already canceled 384 flights due to the strike in late May and early June.
The company, for its part, guaranteed that the remuneration of its workers “it is competitive and significantly above the national average salary”.
“The SNPVAC defends an impracticable proposal, asking for increases between 63% and 103%, which shows a lack of knowledge of reality,” he said.
Source: Observadora
