Ryanair threatens with “base cuts and job cuts” if strike in Germany continues

Ryanair strongly condemns the surprise and unnecessary threatened 24-hour pilot strike in Germany, the industrial action is planned for tomorrow 12 September. According to Ryanair, Vereinigung Cockpit (VC) hasn’t consulted with the German based Ryanair pilots. Meanwhile Chief Marketing Officer Kenny Jacobs said that the industrial actions can only damage Ryanair’s business in Germany and if they continue, this will lead to base cuts and job cuts for both German pilots and cabin crew.

Ryanair: Releases Letters To/From VC Which Show Strike Is Unnecessary

Ryanair, today (11 Sept) condemned the surprise and unnecessary threatened pilot strike in Germany on Wed, 12 Sept. The VC Union, which threatened this strike late on Mon (10^th) evening, has not consulted with Ryanair’s German pilots, and has no reasonable basis for disrupting customers travel plans when Ryanair has already agreed to negotiate local contracts in Germany, agreed to mediation, and has proposed Mr Kieran Mulvey, who successfully mediated the Irish pilots dispute, is therefore familiar with all of these issues, and is available to work immediately.

Ryanair condemned the VC Union and its negotiator Ingolf Schumacher, who has failed to consult with Ryanair’s German pilots, who last Friday evening was unable to explain any difference between mediation and arbitration in Germany (when Ryanair has agreed to mediation), and who has called this strike at short (24 hours) notice, which can only damage Ryanair’s business and some of its bases in Germany, and may lead to aircraft and job cuts in the German market this winter.

Ryanair has written to its passengers this morning confirming that it will try to run its full German schedule tomorrow (Wed 12^th). Passengers are being offered a free move to flights on Thurs, Fri, Sat and Sun if they so wish, and Ryanair has also written to its German based pilots and cabin crew this morning advising them to work as normal tomorrow Wednesday, and to put its customers first rather than blindly following this damaging and unnecessary strike threat.

Ryanair’s Kenny Jacobs said: 

“We regret this threatened strike, which is unnecessary when Ryanair has agreed to independent mediation/arbitration in Germany, has agreed to negotiate local German contracts and has agreed to increase basic pay for German pilots. The strike called by the VC Union can only damage Ryanair’s business and jobs in Germany at a time when the VC Union has already presided over the bankruptcy of Air Berlin last year, and has agreed to pilot pay deals in Eurowings, which pay 30% less than Ryanair’s pilot pay rates.

It is unacceptable that the VC Union, without consulting with Ryanair’s pilots, now threatens strikes and disruptions to our customers, when Ryanair pilot pay and conditions are substantially better than at other VC airlines such as Eurowings. It is unacceptable that a union representing Ryanair’s German pilots, who earn up to €190,000 p.a. and work a 5 day week followed by a 4 day weekend (every week), are now threatening customers travel plans at short notice and without consulting with our German pilots.

These threatened strikes can only damage Ryanair’s business in Germany, and if they continue, will lead to base cuts and job cuts for both German pilots and cabin crew, particularly at some secondary German bases, which are loss making during the winter season, and will suffer greater losses if subjected to repeated and unnecessary strikes by a union, which has already bankrupted Air Berlin”.

Ryanair letters: https://corporate.ryanair.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Ryanair-letters-to-from-VC-4.pdf