Left Bloc questions government over Ryanair’s Faro layoffs and contractual breaches

MPs João Vasconcelos, Isabel Pires and José Soeiro, from the Left Bloc Parliamentary Group (BE) have today questioned the government, through the Ministry of Infrastructure and Housing, and the Ministry of Employment, Solidarity and Social Security, over dismissals and alleged contractual breaches by the airline.

Yesterday 75 crew-members were laid off in order to keep Ryanair’s Faro airport base open, as well as 8 janitors who also worked at the base. Furthermore, the Left Bloc have alleged that the low-cost airline did not pay all their staff’s Christmas allowances and bonuses, in addition to exerting wage cuts on its workers, thus not complying with Portuguese legislation.

The Left Bloc MPs have demanded to know whether the government will intervene in order to make Ryanair fully comply with Portuguese labour rights legislation, paying all workers, including those who have been laid off, and including allowances and back payments whilst reinstating any pay cuts that have occurred.

Lastly, the parliamentarians also questioned whether the government will be made aware if Ryanair further reduce staffs numbers, or other measures, be they at Faro airport or any other on Portuguese soil.