A series of strikes announced by worker’s unions across airports in Spain are set to cause massive disruptions across the Christmas period
In the Aena airports authority network, the CCOO union, which has the highest level of personnel representation, has scheduled a walkout that will impact almost 10,000 workers over the Christmas holiday. These include those working in control centers. However, the UCSA-represented air traffic controllers will not participate in the strikes.
Administrative personnel, firefighters, and flight technicians are among the employees that will take part in the strikes. The CCOO says that it has spent months requesting that Aena restores productivity pay. This had been paid for several years but wasn’t during the pandemic, according to a statement from the union.
The strikes have been called for December 22, 23, 30, and 31 and for January 6 and 8. Strike action will be maintained if the conflict is not resolved during the first quarter of next year and carry on up to Easter.
Francisco José Casado Moreno, general secretary of CCOO at Aena, says that air traffic has returned to 2019 levels and exceeds this at some airports. Moreno noted that payment of dividends to private shareholders in the Aena group has been authorised and is therefore demanding that there is a similar recovery of payments “that correspond to us”.
He added that the national ministry of transport had been warned in November that strike action was possible. Despite the “good words” from the ministry and Aena, the delay in reaching an agreement “is causing a lot of unease among those present at the negotiating table”.
Read more about Christmas strikes: UK Airport Border Control Strikes Threaten Expat Christmas Travel
