Wednesday, 11 September 2019

VC concludes collective labor agreements (CLAs) with Ryanair

For the first time, Vereinigung Cockpit (VC) has concluded collective labor agreements (CLAs) with Ryanair. The CLAs concluded are a CLA governing remuneration as well as a framework social plan. Both CLAs will be valid for several years to come.

VC lawyer Tanja Viehl expressed her happiness about the result of negotiations: “our Ryanair Company Council and our members have fought for these CLAs persistently and they will now be submitted to the membership for their approval in a ballot. What was agreed will mean higher basic salaries and higher net salaries, especially due to the transition to German income taxation. Additionally, the framework social plan will provide measures to soften the impact of past and possible future base reductions.”

The CLAs leave no doubt that German law as well as German employee protection rights will be applicable for Ryanair pilots in Germany. To ensure the switch to the German tax system, employees will transition to Ryanair’s’ Maltese subsidiary “Malta Air”. They will be directly employed there while being subject to German CLAs.

“Despite the agreement now signed in Germany, European pilot unions united under the motto “Ryanair must change!” still have a long way ahead before our goal is reached – as was shown during recent industrial action abroad. Coming to CLAs in Germany is an important step towards our goal of guaranteeing employment rights” Tanja Viehl added.

Both parties agreed to continue negotiations in the future to conclude CLAs to implement a Works Council as well as to refine working conditions. Additionally, a company pension system should be implemented in Germany.