Ryanair workers have staged a number of strikes across Europe over low pay and working conditions in recent years, but cabin staff in Spain have a new grievance with the company after being informed that they have been overpaid and must therefore return a sum of money to their employer.
The money corresponds to a raise workers were given last year following a deal between the CCOO union and Ryanair and which was subsequently struck down by a court after it was contested by a rival union, USO. A new deal was reached, but only covering CCOO members. In a letter sent to those not covered by that union and which has been seen by some media, Ryanair explained that “this situation created an overpayment situation as you were paid higher salaries in the period October 24 to March 25 that have now been declared null and void”.
One such letter published by El Confidencial news site showed that the recipient had been asked to pay back €3,215.95. The letter also offered “a repayment plan of 12 months ... in order to mitigate the effects that this debt may have in [sic] your salaries”, with the corresponding amount to be deducted from the worker’s pay over that period.
One worker cited by El Confidencial was told they had to pay back €4,133.50, and another was told they owed €2,831.16.
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Those affected were offered a way out: to join the CCOO union, which represented 40 per cent of Ryanair workers in Spain when the letters were sent out. An initial deadline of early May to join the union in order to avoid having to pay back the money was then extended to May 19. The USO union has recommended that its members should not agree to pay back the money from the wage increase.
This week, Ryanair reported a 16 per cent drop in profits for the last year, attributed in part to a dispute with online travel operators which pushed fares down and a dip in demand.
