Last ditch talks in Spain to avert airport strikes by 60,000 workers

AIR PASSENGERS in Spain could face more misery soon unless mediation talks on Thursday between unions and the ground support service providers resolve a long-running dispute over pay and conditions.

If the last-ditch talks fail more than 60,000 ground handling staff at popular tourist airports throughout Spain could strike from October 15 and it would potentially affect all airlines that operate in Spanish airports, throwing flights to Spain in potential chaos for millions of passengers.

The ground staff provide handling services for aircraft, passengers and freight and even assist people with reduced mobility.

The workers’ unions say they have been locked in talks with employers for three years and have accused ASEATA, the Association of Airport Ground Support Services Companies, of dragging their heels over confirming their latest collective agreement.

USO Aéreo, together with the CCOO and UGT unions are unhappy about some of their work being outsourced.

In a statement USO Aéreo said: “We cannot allow more companies to continue operating in our labour market with wild deals, using precarious contracts and workers’ salaries.”

It went on: “USO Sector Aéreo, along with other unions, have registered in the Interconfederal Service of Mediation and Arbitration (SIMA) the request for conciliation prior to the strike call for ground handling services at airports. This demand is prior to the call for a strike that, if no agreement is reached, will begin as of October 15. Approximately 60,000 workers are summoned to this strike in all airports of the AENA network.

“After almost three years of negotiations to agree the IV Collective Agreement of the Ground Support Services Sector, ASEATA employers have continued to show their immobile attitude to try to agree on fundamental aspects that have to do with the system of subrogation, salary and other remuneration variable economic concepts.”

A strike would hit the entire Aena airport and heliport network in Spain. A list of airports that might be affected are below…
• A Coruña (LCG)
• Albacete (ABC)
• Algeciras (AEI)
• Alicante Elche (ALC)
• Almería (LEI)
• Asturias (OVD)
• Badajoz (BJZ)
• Barcelona El Prat (BCN)
• Bilbao (BIO)
• Burgos (RGS)
• Ceuta (JCU)
• Córdoba (ODB)
• El Hierro (VDE)
• Fuerteventura (FUE)
• Girona-Costa Brava (GRO)
• Gran Canaria Airport (LPA)
• Granada-Jaén F.G.L. (GRX)
• Huesca-Pirineos (HSK)
• Ibiza Airport (IBZ)
• Jerez (XRY)
• La Gomera (GMZ)
• La Palma Airport (SPC)
• Lanzarote (ACE)
• León (LEN)
• Logroño-Agoncillo (RJL)
• Madrid Barajas Adolfo Suárez (MAD)
• Madrid-Cuatro Vientos (LECU)
• Málaga Airport – Costa del Sol (AGP)
• Melilla (MLN)
• Menorca (MAH)
• Murcia-San Javier (MJV)
• Palma de Mallorca (PMI)
• Pamplona (PNA)
• Reus (REU)
• Sabadell (QSA)
• Salamanca (SLM)
• San Sebastián (EAS)
• Santander-Seve Ballesteros (SDR)
• Santiago (SCQ)
• Sevilla (SVQ)
• Son Bonet (LESB)
• Tenerife Norte (TFN)
• Tenerife Sur (TFS)
• Valencia (VLC)
• Valladolid (VLL)
• Vigo (VGO)
• Vitoria (VIT)
• Zaragoza (ZAZ)