Striking air-traffic controllers to appear in court

AIR-TRAFFIC controllers who went on strike despite the president of Spain calling a State of Emergency will be in the dock shortly along with their union leaders.

A total of 112 air-traffic control staff downed tools over working conditions and pay in early December 2010, leaving thousands of passengers stranded or delayed for hours if not days.

The then president, socialist José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero called a State of Emergency to force them back to their seats, but they ignored this and carried on with the strike.

This led to Spanish air-space being closed.

Lawyers working on behalf of the air-traffic controllers called for the judges handling the case at 22 provincial courts to close it without charging the accused workers, stating that the closure of Spanish air-space was a 'unilateral' decision by the nation's airport governing body, AENA.

Only the courts dealing with strikers in Madrid, Barcelona and Málaga still have their cases open, and those due to testify have been notified in writing that they will have to appear before a judge within two months' time.

They are accused of 'abandoning their public duties', an offence that can lead to being suspended from their roles, fined or even imprisoned.