European Commissioner for Competition speaks out on May 1'
Vestager: Ryanair vinder ikke over 'den danske model' i EU (DR)
An upcoming sympathy blockade of Ryanair flights at Copenhagen Airport is in no way in conflict with EU principles of free competition.
That is the clear message from the top place - the European Commissioner for Competition, Margrethe Vestager, to DR News.
- No, it's not in conflict. In fact, quite the contrary. There is room for the Danish model. There is a scope for social partners to take responsibility for how the work is done, says Margrethe Vestager with clear reference to the dispute between Ryanair and the Danish trade union movement.
A message that certainly not becomes Ryanair chief executive, Michael O'Leary, who visited Copenhagen last week, and who believe that the conflict is unambiguously clear, and that it will end up taking the life of the Danish model:
- Ultimately, the Danish model could not survive if faced with European rules on competition and free movement of goods and labor. But we'd rather not have it come to that, says the battle-ready Mr O'Leary.
Ryanair is ready to bring proceedings before the European Court of Justice (ECJ)
Ryanair intends: to devote all necessary efforts to bring the matter to the European Court if they were to lose the case pending in the Danish Labour Court.
But the Ryanair CEO should not expect backing from the former Danish Minister of Economy, who now sits as the head of free and fair competition in Europe.
- There is room in Europe to fight for ones cause. We do not have bloody free liberal competition. We have a fair market in which we ensure order, and that is how I think it should be, says the Danish EU commissioner firmly.
Michael O'Leary still believe that the ECJ will uphold Ryanair's contention that the conflict is contrary to the whole idea of the EU.
- I think the EU court will take a different view. The cornerstone of the EU is freedom of movement. The Danish model will not be sustainable, says O'Leary.
But Vestager takes a case before the European Court of Justice with serenity. Ryanair will not succeed in beating the Danish model to death, she said.
- We are confident in the expectation that the Danish model, it can be there. And then we also have the competition in organized manners, says Margrethe Vestager.
Two ways to get the case to the ECJ
There are roughly only two ways, Ryanair can try their case before the ECJ.
Either the European Commission initiates an action because it believes Denmark treats Ryanair wrong.
Or, a Danish court sends the case to Brussels. And right now there is not much to suggest that it will be Margrethe Vestager who furthers the matter.
The Danish Labour Court is still in the process of dealing with the case, where trade unions want to gain approval for a sympathy blockade against Ryanair aircraft at the CPH base. Such a blockade would prevent Ryanair to fly out of Copenhagen.
Half of the staff working for very low wages
The blockade is considered as flight personnel on board Ryanair aircraft not operating under Danish agreements. In Ryanair it is customarily about half of flight personnel working under Ryanair's own agreements.
But the other half are recruited from agencies under contract recruitment, which is criticized for very low pay, no payment during illness and holidays as well as charge for uniforms and ID cards. In addition, limiting the contracts of staff freedom of expression.
Labour market researcher Henning Jørgensen from Aalborg University have previously to DR News called the employment contracts "slavery".
The Labour Court will see the parties again on May 20.
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