Unions for Ryanair's 1,800 cabin crew in Spain threatened Friday to strike in January unless the Irish low-cost airline agrees to improve work and pay conditions. It was just the latest setback for the airline, which has faced a wave of strikes in several European countries in recent months.

The two unions representing the staff, USO and Sitcpla, called for 24-hour strikes on January 8, 10 and 13 because Ryanair had failed to reach an agreement with them during mediation. The unions are demanding local contracts under local law rather than the Irish contracts Ryanair uses widely. It was "disgusting" that Ryanair "continues to refuse to accept national law with all its consequences", USO representative Jairo Gonzalo said in a statement.

Copyright Agence France-Presse, 2018