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Ryanair to recognise cabin crew unions

Ryanair has opted to recognise its cabin crew’s unions – just days after it did the same for its pilots.

A one-day strike planned for this Wednesday was called off on Sunday night after the Irish carrier recognised the pilots’ union Impact.

The budget airline admitted it was a “significant change” in its long standing policy of not recognising unions.

Today Ryanair went further, issuing a statement that said: “Ryanair is moving to recognise unions, starting this week with meetings with Irish, German and Portuguese pilot unions.

“It will lead on in the New Year to meetings with other EU pilot unions and cabin crew unions in due course as well.”

Pilots from Ireland, Germany, Spain, Italy and Portugal voted to take industrial action before Ryanair changed its stance.

But the airline insisted that the unions “establish committees of Ryanair pilots… as Ryanair will not engage with pilots who fly for competitor airlines.”

It is the first time Ryanair chief executive Michael O’Leary has extended such an invitation to union leaders in the 32 years the company has been flying.

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