Ryanair staff to get 10% pay rise

Ryanair has announced average pay increases of 10% for all its cabin crew as well as increases of up to 10% for a number of its pilots, including those based in Cork and Shannon.

The airline, which does not recognise trade unions even though a number of its pilots are members of the Irish Airline Pilots Association, had been engaged in direct collective-bargaining negotiations with its cabin crew and yesterday announced a four-year pay agreement, which will come into force from Monday.

Under that agreement, there will be average pay increases of 10% over four years and increases in supervisory and other allowances.

It also said it would maintain a “home every night” roster for staff.

Ryanair said it has also completed negotiations on new five-year agreements for its pilots in Alicante, Bristol, Cork, East Midlands, Luton, and Shannon bases. Those agreements replace existing terms which were due to expire in April.

The affected pilots will receive pay increases of up to 10% over five years; a five-day on, four-day off roster; and allowance and pension increases.

The airline said it would negotiate deals for pilots at other bases as their existing agreements expired.

A Ryanair spokesman said: “It is a considerable success for Ryanair’s cabin crew and pilots to secure pay increases and favourable rosters at a time when unions in Germany, Italy, Spain, Sweden, and Britain are currently negotiating job cuts, pay cuts, and pension cuts. These contrasting circumstances demonstrate yet again the success of Ryanair’s business model and of its policy of dealing directly with cabin crew and pilots through the long-established collective bargaining structures within Ryanair.”

The pilot deals have been criticised by a group calling itself Ryanair Pilots Group. In a letter to pilots in the bases, the group said: “Your reported acceptance of a deal for your base undermines the democratic process voted for and accepted by the Ryanair Pilot Group. The RPG conducted a democratic ballot on the recent offer made by Ryanair. The ballot was open to all pilots, from all bases. 93.2% of the pilots voting completely rejected the management offer.”

It said management would use the outcome of these “bogus negotiations” to pressure other bases to negotiate on Ryanair’s terms.

“This approach is clearly designed to continue to disadvantage and divide the pilot body. Pilots are entitled to select their own representatives and to avail of expert advice as they see fit. Ryanair management has no entitlement to dictate who should represent pilots in any negotiations.”