easyJet cabin crew in Portugal plan October and December strikes

easyJet cabin crew in Portugal are planning two strikes, one from October 2-6 and the other from December 19-23, which will impact operations at Lisbon, Porto and Faro airports. The National Union of Civil Aviation Flight Personnel (SNPVAC) estimates that around 500 flights could be grounded during the October strike, excluding any minimum services imposed by authorities.

The December strike could have a significant impact due to its timing during the busy Christmas travel period. A recent emergency general meeting held by the easyJet cabin crew led to the unanimous approval of the strikes, which were called due to the company's failure to address labor and pay issues. The union highlighted grievances such as frequent changes to duty rosters, breaches of the collective labor agreement, unequal treatment of cabin crew and pilots, operational planning problems, and pressure to work overtime due to staff shortages.

SNPVAC accuses easyJet of paying Portuguese crew members below the national minimum wage and below wages paid to other airlines in Portugal and its network. The union also claims a climate of tension and dissatisfaction over the ongoing labor disputes, which it says has worsened and led easyJet to undermine the right to strike by replacing striking crew members with managers and colleagues from other countries.

The October strike aligns with Portugal's Republic Day holiday, while the December walkout occurs just two days before Christmas.