Simon Hunter
AIR TRAVELLERS in Spain this Christmas can breathe a sigh of relief – for now, anyway. Strikes that were due to be called over the holiday season by Spanish airline Iberia’s ground staff have been postponed, and may not go ahead at all.
The country’s biggest labour unions, UGT and CCOO, had announced stoppages for the dates December 29-31, January 1, and January 4-7.
Ground staff are responsible for activities such as baggage check-in, meaning that the industrial action could have had a major effect on anyone travelling with Iberia, or indeed any flights from other airlines that were being operated by the the former flag carrier such as British Airways, which is part of the same parent group, IAG.
On Wednesday, the unions announced that they were delaying the official registration of the stoppages on the basis that conversations with the airline are progressing. A statement they released yesterday, and reported in Spanish media, said that the government would be intervening in the talks as a mediator.
The January strikes could still be registered, however. The unions are expected to make an announcement about that today.
Iberia, for its part, denied that it had agreed to the government taking part in the negotiations, according to a report from news agency Europa Press.
The conflict began back in September when Iberia lost its licences to provide ground handling services in eight Spanish airports, including Barcelona, Malaga, Alicante and Gran Canaria.
Under the terms of their collective agreements, these Iberia ground staff will have to be transferred to the companies who successfully won the licences.
These workers fear, however, that they will lose their current salaries and other working conditions and are calling instead for Iberia to resort to ‘autohandling’ – i.e. using an internal company to offer these services.
Iberia argues that such an option is not economically viable. But in the ongoing negotiations the option of a ‘mixed’ service has been mooted, according to Spanish daily El Pais.
This would see a new company created, with the new licence holder having an 80% stake and a minority group from IAG, called Yellow Handling, taking the remaining 20%.
Read more:
- Baggage handlers to walk out on these dates in December and January
- Which flights will be affected by walkouts planned for December?
- Spain’s UGT union calls airport strike for key December vacation days
