Ryanair pilots operating out of Belgium have said that they will soon be going on strike, which has been scheduled for the 14th and 15th of September.
In their words, they have tried their best to negotiate with the airline, but it refuses to pay any heed to their demands.
Thus, the fourth strike in the last two months will go on as planned for the same demands.
Consequences
As per Aviation 24, the upcoming strike will have similar consequences to the previous one since Ryanair is a dominant aircraft in the country.
It will have a major impact on the Brussels South Charleroi Airport but will not run much interference with the Brussels Airport located in Zaventem.
This is because the municipality in Belgium is primarily served by foreign-based aircraft that belong to Ryanair.
The strike has been specially scheduled for the 14th of September to mark the day of the Annual General Meeting of all shareholders of Ryanair.
It will be held in Dublin, which is also the location where the headquarters of the aircraft are. Pilots believe that various social aspects will be examined in detail at this AGM to aid them in their ongoing battle.
Belgian Cockpit Association
The Belgian Cockpit Association, or the BCA, which represents the pilots working in the country, has taken up negotiations from the other side.
However, the ACV Pulse and CNE unions say that Ryanair has not paid any attention to the demands that they made, which also include reinstating the 20% cut in salaries that was accepted at the time of the coronavirus pandemic.
The pilots say that the entire world was struggling at the time, which is why they took on the financial hit. But with the rising inflation, they need the pay cut redacted.
Moreover, the unions have requested a lesser workload. This demand was made keeping in mind that Ryanair is thinking of reducing the number of days off that it gives to its workers.
After multiple strikes, the pilots have requested the Minister of Justice to be at the forefront to protect them.
In the words of these disgruntled employees, only the law can protect them against the airline now.
Previous strikes
During the first strike in Belgian of Ryanair pilots, more than 25% of flights were canceled in the middle of August.
Meanwhile, the strike organized on the 15th and 16th of July resulted in the cancellation of around 120 flights at the Charleroi Airport. Consequently, more than 80% of the pilots were a part of the protest.
Where the strike organized on the 29th and 30th of July is concerned, more than 100 flights were canceled due to pilots refusing to work.
These consistent strikes had a notable impact on various countries, such as Herzegovina, Italy, France, Croatia, Morocco, Portugal, Poland, Spain, Sweden, Romania, and Bosnia.
As a result, passengers have been warned to check the status of their flights prior to flying.
The Charleroi Airport has especially requested that passengers keep a close eye on their flight schedules in the event of a strike.
A system has also been established by the airport, which informs passengers of their flight status via email or text.
