The United Services Union (ver.di) has now been able to achieve important salary increases and clear improvements in working conditions for the approximately 860 flight attendants at Ryanair subsidiary Malta Air, which operates from Germany. In a long-term overall package, salaries could be increased in several stages by an average of 23.3 per cent. The establishment of a collective labour agreement also led to significant improvements in rosters.
"With this overall package, we have achieved an important cornerstone for improving working conditions and urgently needed salary improvements," emphasises ver.di negotiator Dennis Dacke. In addition to the table-based increase, ver.di was also able to achieve linear salary increases for the first time, and thus salary increases according to length of service. An inflation compensation bonus of between 1,925 euros and 2,475 euros, depending on rank, was also agreed. Furthermore, there are increases in the remuneration for flying hours of around 26 per cent on average. An increase of 50 per cent was achieved in the flat rates for uniforms and medical care.
The collective bargaining package also includes improvements to working conditions: "It was particularly important to the employees to have a stable rota; here, too, we were able to achieve a significant improvement with a fixed rota system - 5 days shift, 3 days off," says Dacke. In addition, for example, a Germany job ticket was agreed for all employees.
"The collective bargaining milestones have been reached. Now we will put all our energy into worker participation. ver.di has initiated the works council elections at the Berlin and Cologne/Bonn locations, but is facing strong opposition from the Ryanair Group. Numerous court proceedings are slowing down the process. We will not rest until all locations in Germany have a works council," explains Dacke.
With its subsidiary Malta Air, Ryanair operates aircrafts based in Germany at Berlin-Brandenburg, Nuremberg, Memmingen, Karlsruhe/Baden-Baden, Hahn, Cologne/Bonn and Weeze Airport on the Lower Rhine.
