Spanish Air Strikes Still Hang In The Balance

And so we still wait for the outcome of more negotiations on the threat of strikes.  This article has been taken from The Leader and there is a little more information in the Euro Weekly News saying….

“The airport unions have warned that the suspended 25 days of strikes will only be called off if “all of their demands” over salary and staffing numbers are met, as they described the governments proposed changes as “insufficient.”

They are calling for a further 700 staff to help deal with Spanish airports ever increasing influx of people and more than a 1% increase to their salaries.”

In the article by “The Leader” we are told that September strikes have been suspended…….

Although the CC.OO., UGT and USE unions have suspended the strikes planned across Spain’s network of airports for the remainder of September pending further negotiations, there is still no news of the additional days of planned action scheduled to take place during October, November and December.

The three trade union delegates who are representing their unions have assured the press that they still “see very favourable perspectives” so that, in coming meetings, the parties will be able to  reach an agreement that will put an end to the conflict with the airport management company Aena and Enaire who direct the air traffic controllers.

Only a collapse in the negotiations, which unions say are due to be completed by the end of this month, would once again resurrect the threat of strikes at all Spanish airports in the autumn.

However, yesterday evening, the general secretary of CCOO in AENA, Francisco Casado, said that following Tuesdays meeting held with officials of Aena and Enaire there has been “some progress” in terms of employment and wages, but that they “are still not enough”, but negotiations will continue.

Speaking to the press, Casado explained that they felt “quite disappointed”, particularly after the progress made last week. “The attitude of the employers was not what we expected after the engagement  we had last Thursday” with the Secretary of State for Infrastructure, Transport and Housing , Julio Gómez-Pomar, in which all three unions and the two company’s were mandated to finding an agreement.