Read more about the article Court Orders Ryanair To Pay Millions To Striking Pilots
Pic Shows: Eindhoven Airport, located in the southern Dutch province of North Brabant; Ryanair has told its Dutch pilots and flight attendants to relocate to Africa or the ex-Soviet state of Belarus if they want to keep their jobs. The Irish low-cost airline is currently locked in a legal battle with the Dutch pilot union VNV. The case, which is taking place in the city of Den Bosch in the southern Netherlands, was started by 16 angry Ryanair pilots who want the judge to ban the airline from transferring them to bases in far-flung cities in North Africa and East Europe. According to the pilots, Ryanair has decided to close the Eindhoven base as of 5th November after pilots went on strike in early October for two days. A VNV union spokesman said: "The goal was not higher wages or more days off, but a change in culture and a guarantee of basic rights for employees in accordance with Dutch standards. "Ryanair has to stop with the divide-and-conquer culture, and has to respect fundamental employee rights. However, our actions have made Ryanair decide to close its Eindhoven base. "That means that the pilots are being forced to move to southern or eastern Europe or even to North Africa." According to the union, while it means that most Ryanair flights to and from Eindhoven will not cease, they will however be covered by aeroplanes and cabin crew stationed at bases in countries with less restrictive labour laws. A pilot told the Dutch court: "Ryanair is a brilliantly organised dictatorship. As long as you keep your mouth shut it is alright. However, when you cross the line you have to be careful. "Quitting is difficult because you have to start all the way down at the bottom again." The closure of the Eindhoven base will also affect 98 flight attendants based in the Netherlands. Cabin crew member Gustavo Vargas said: "Ryanair gave us three weeks’ notice to pack our bags and to make a decision about a new life." Vargas added: "After six years in the Netherlan

Court Orders Ryanair To Pay Millions To Striking Pilots

Story By: Koen Berghuis, Sub Editor: Joseph Golder, Agency: Central European News A Dutch court has ordered Ryanair to pay out millions in damages to eight pilots who were sacked for staging a strike. Picture Credits: CEN/Eindhoven Airport & CEN/Ryanair The court in the city of Den Bosch in the…

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