A leading Belgian trade union is planning to take legal action against Ryanair for imposing work conditions on cabin crew that it alleges violate Belgian law.
Tony Demonte of Belgium's CNE workers' union said the suit would likely be filed in September and that both Ryanair and its partner Crewlink, which provides a large part of the airline's cabin staff, would be targeted.
Ryanair has said there is 'no truth' to the claims by CNE.
The union condemned that fact that workers' pay cheques are deducted €30 a month for 12 months to pay for uniforms.
Cabin crew are also transferred without financial compensation and given little notice if fired, CNE claimed.
There are no company provisions for sick pay, a Crewlink employee's contract seen by AFP says, and workers are also blocked from living more than hour away from the airport.
The legal complaint, Mr Demonte said, would try to compel both Ryanair and Crewlink to adjust their workers' contracts to conform with Belgian law.
Ryanair has consistently argued that its employment contracts need only satisfy Irish law. Crewlink is also based in Ireland.
A Ryanair spokesperson said this evening that 'Ryanair employees receive an annual uniform allowance of €325 per annum, out of which they pay for their uniforms, regardless of whether they purchase a uniform or not each year.'
The airline abandoned its base at Marseille airport in January in protest over French prosecutors' refusal to drop charges against it for hiring workers on Irish contracts, which they said breached labour laws.
The company later said it would get around the court ruling by not basing its planes in Marseille on a permanent basis and by regularly changing the pilots and air crew working on the re-opened routes.
