More than 60,000 ground staff are threatening 24 hour walkouts on August 18 and August 26 which could cripple airports across Spain during the height of the holiday season.
The action will force delays and cancellations at all Spanish airports including Malaga, Alicante, the Balearics and Canary Islands, affecting hundreds of thousands of holidaymakers returning from their summer breaks.
The country’s main unions, CCOO, UGT and USO, support the strike action in a row over baggage handling contracts. It has been sparked following the decision by a private company at Barcelona’s El Prat airport to make four workers redundant.
A statement from the CCOO workers union confirmed the planned action: “The strike will affect every single Spanish airport, and will involve around 60,000 workers.”
The first day of the strike coincides with the arrival of Pope Benedict XVI in Madrid to lead World Youth Day celebrations. Up to a million pilgrims are expected to flock into the capital for the three-day papal visit.
In separate industrial action, Madrid’s underground rail workers have threatened to down tools on 18 August to protest over wage cuts.
Union chiefs have called emergency meetings with authorities to discuss the provision of “minimum services” at airports if the strikes go ahead. There was hope that they could still be averted.
Last December Spanish airports were brought to a standstill when air traffic controllers staged wildcat strikes forcing the military to take over and a “state of alert” to be declared. Further strike action over Easter was called off after a last minute deal was reached.
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