School holiday travel warning due to air and rail strikes
BRITS heading abroad during the school holidays have been warned of potential travel disruption due to possible strike action affecting three transport companies.
Both easyJet and Ryanair passengers are likely to be impacted after trade unions in France and Belgium threatened the airlines with walkouts over the Christmas period.
The French trade union, The Syndicat National du Personnel Navigant Commercial (SNPNC-FO), told easyJet that there is a "very significant risk" of strikes because of an ongoing pay dispute involving cabin crew.
The message on their website reads: "After more than two years of colossal efforts made by hostesses and stewards in France, during which our working conditions have deteriorated sharply due to serious strategic errors for which management alone is responsible, easyJet is offering salary increases this year not even covering inflation, and rejecting the main elements of our demands."
Meanwhile two unions in Belgium, ACV Puls and CNE, have also told Ryanair that "staff will express their anger" if their demands are not met.
This comes after the low-cost Irish airline temporarily closed its Brussels Airport base in Zaventem and offered employees work nine miles away at Charleroi airport.
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But according to the unions, the budget carrier decided to make Belgium-based Ryanair staff work blocks of a few days in other European bases instead.
One union permanent secretary said: "This is perfectly illegal." If a resolution is not met, the two unions will consider strike action that will impact the "end of year festivities".
For now, negotiations are ongoing with no firm strikes dates being announced by any of the unions.
Brits using the Eurostar to getaway in December and January will also face travel disruption after security staff announced strike action on December 16, 18, 22 and 23.
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According to Bloomberg, the RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said: "Eurostar security staff are essential to the running of Eurostar, and it is disgraceful they are not being paid a decent wage."
This strike is in addition to the other walkouts impacting rail passengers in December and January.
In a statement on their website, Eurostar said: "We’re currently assessing the impact on our timetable and expect to run most of our trains."
The train operator plans to contact passengers if their journey is affected by timetable changes.
