Agreement at Ryanair for Belgian cabin crew: 25% salary increase for lowest wages

Ryanair management and Belgian unions reached a memorandum of understanding on Wednesday over a collective labour agreement concerning salaries for cabin crew of the Irish airline based in Belgium, said trade union CNE/ACV.

A significant wage increase of 25% was negotiated for the lowest paid staff. “This allows them to respect the minimum wages of the aviation sector, putting an end to the social dumping of the low-cost airline,” commented the Christian union. The rest of the cabin crew are also seeing their salaries increase by an average of 8%.

This protocol will now be presented and voted on by all Ryanair workers in Belgium.

Didier Lebbe, the Permanent Secretary of CNE/ACV who negotiated the agreement with the management of Ryanair, explains: “This is historic because it is the first time we talk about concrete things for the cabin crew, namely their wallet. The lowest paid are the big winners. The oldest, who were the best paid, will also have an increase but it is not sure that it will be enough to satisfy them. Many workers still are angry against the company because of the way in which they have been treated for many years. It is therefore not 100% guaranteed that the memorandum of understanding will be validated by the workers. Without the strikes, we would not have gotten anything. Today, Ryanair recognises the union, agrees to negotiate. It’s a big victory.”

Ryanair cabin crew counts some 500 flight attendants in Belgium, according to CNE/ACV.