Ryanair demands flight attendants return salary raises after court ruling

In Spain, Ryanair has taken a controversial step by ordering some of its flight attendants to repay salary increases that were previously granted. The decision came after a court ruling from the Union Sindical Obrera, a Spanish union, which voided a pay rise agreement that was initially endorsed by the CCOO union. This legal scenario unfolded earlier this year when a March ruling declared the pay rise invalid, leading Ryanair to tackle the issue of compliance with the court's decisions with its employees. The salary increases, which ranged between €1,500 and €3,000 (approximately £1,250 to £2,525), were agreed upon in negotiations with the CCOO union and affected all flight attendants. However, the Union Sindical Obrera contested the legitimacy of these negotiations, arguing that the representatives negotiating the pay rises were unauthorized. Consequently, Ryanair sent letters to members of the Union Sindical Obrera detailing how much money they owed due to what the airline termed as an "overpayment situation" based on calculations from the initial agreement. Union Sindical Obrera has criticized Ryanair's move to reclaim the funds from its members, alleging that the airline's decision follows the unfavorable court ruling wherein the initial pay raise was nullified. In their response, the union is actively seeking legal recourse to address Ryanair's demands. As this dispute continues, Ryanair has highlighted that while it is enforcing repayment obligations based on the court's ruling, some members not aligned with the CCOO union, particularly non-aligned workers, are not subjected to the same repayment requirements. Despite the turmoil, the airline maintains that it is adhering to the court's decision and has reminded affected flight attendants that amounts owed will be deducted from their payslip until cleared. Furthermore, it has also pointed out that the CCOO union members are exempt from repaying their pay increases from October to March, regardless of the ruling. As the situation develops, the Union Sindical Obrera has stated its commitment to finding a legal solution that will protect its members from the financial implications of the ruling and Ryanair’s subsequent actions.