BARELY days after unions had introduced that they might not be calling strikes for Spanish airline Iberia’s floor workers, the stoppages are again on. The UGT and CCOO unions have introduced that staff will probably be downing instruments throughout the nation from January 5 to eight.
The transfer comes after talks between these unions and the previous Spanish flag provider broke down. The strikes will coincide with the Kings Day vacation, which falls on January 6, and is a interval when many passengers will probably be travelling by Spanish airports.
Stoppages have been beforehand introduced for the December 29-31 interval too, however on December 21 the unions introduced that they have been suspending these days on the idea that talks between the 2 sides have been progressing and that the Spanish authorities was attributable to mediate.
On Saturday, information company EFE reported {that a} third union, USO, had additionally introduced that it could be becoming a member of the stoppages between January 5 and eight for its Iberia floor workers.
Floor workers are liable for actions resembling baggage check-in, that means that the commercial motion might have had a serious impact on anybody travelling with Iberia, or certainly any flights from different airways that have been being operated by the the previous flag provider resembling British Airways, which is a part of the identical mum or dad group, IAG.
The battle started again in September when Iberia misplaced its licences to offer floor dealing with companies in eight Spanish airports, together with Barcelona, Malaga, Alicante and Gran Canaria.
Below the phrases of their collective agreements, these Iberia floor workers must be transferred to the businesses who efficiently gained the licences.
These staff concern, nonetheless, that they are going to lose their present salaries and different working situations and are calling as an alternative for Iberia to resort to ‘autohandling’ – i.e. utilizing an inside firm to supply these companies.
Iberia is arguing that such an choice will not be economically viable. However within the negotiations the choice of a ‘combined’ service had been mooted, in keeping with Spanish day by day El Pais.
This may see a brand new firm created, with the brand new licence holder having an 80% stake and a minority group from IAG, referred to as Yellow Dealing with, taking the remaining 20%.
In an announcement reported by Spanish day by day El Pais, Iberia lamented the truth that the unions had damaged off negotiations and referred to as the January stoppages. The airline additionally stated that ‘autohandling could be unimaginable’, provided that it could imply a lack of competitivity with its rivals and would trigger a ‘definitive blow to the way forward for the bottom service enterprise’.
After the breakdown of the talks, Iberia stated it could not be contemplating the hybrid mannequin and can solely now focus on the switch of its floor workers to 3rd corporations.
Learn extra:
