Ryanair has instructed some of its cabin crew in Spain to return pay increases of up to €3,000 following a legal battle with a local union.
The salary boost, originally agreed between the airline and the Spanish union CCOO, was extended to all flight attendants regardless of union affiliation. However, another union, Unión Sindical Obrera (USO), successfully challenged the agreement in court in March, resulting in the deal being declared invalid.
Following the ruling, Ryanair notified USO that it will inform affected members of the exact amounts they are expected to repay.
USO has criticized Ryanair’s decision to recover five months’ worth of pay increases, arguing the move is unjust. The union told the BBC that it is seeking the most appropriate legal solution to address the situation.
Meanwhile, Ryanair has negotiated a new pay deal with CCOO members. Those covered under this new agreement will not be required to repay the increases received between October and March, despite the original agreement being invalidated.
According to USO, Ryanair is demanding repayments ranging from €1,500 to €3,000. It also claims that both union members and non-members have had their salaries reverted to pre-agreement levels.
Ryanair has not disclosed how many employees it is pursuing for repayment or what actions it will take if staff refuse to comply. However, USO stated that the airline informed affected workers it will automatically deduct the owed amounts from their paychecks until fully recovered.
