Most of easyJet’s Italian Crews Backed the Deal. One Union Didn’t.

easyJet pilots and cabin crew in Italy are due to walk out for 24 hours on Friday, 16 October, in a strike called by USB Lavoro Privato, the private-sector branch of the Unione Sindacale di Base union. The stoppage lands on the same day as airport worker stoppages in Pisa and Florence and a separate strike by Poste Air Cargo employees. Not every easyJet flight is expected to be cancelled, but anyone with an Italian itinerary on the day should check their booking before heading to the airport.

What makes the walkout notable is the backdrop. A new contract for easyJet staff was signed on 15 September, and other unions held an internal consultation in which pilots and flight attendants backed the agreement. USB says the results were published late and that its request to observe the vote was refused. It also objects to the deal’s effect on the 13th-month salary, real wage increases and union representation. In short, the majority endorsed the contract, but one union is contesting both the process and the terms.

As with other Italian strikes, protected windows should keep some flights moving. Services between 7am and 10am and between 6pm and 9pm are normally expected to operate, though that is not guaranteed, and flights outside those hours are the most exposed. Because the dispute involves easyJet’s own pilots and crew, the airline is the party to ask about rebooking, and it is sensible to look at alternatives early if your journey is time-sensitive, since seats on replacement flights tend to fill quickly.

Passenger rights differ from a typical strike day. Because this stoppage involves easyJet’s own staff, travellers on cancelled or heavily delayed flights may be able to claim compensation under EU rules, which can reach several hundred euros per person depending on distance, whereas airport worker strikes are treated differently and may not qualify. Either way, cancelled flights bring a rerouting or refund, and long delays bring meals and, overnight, accommodation. Keep receipts and ask for the reason for any disruption in writing.

Sources: AirHelp