Airport strike 'avoidance' talks get set

Employee representatives say progress made to date with AENA and Enaire has given them 'cause to feel optimistic' that it may not need to go ahead with the pickets which would disrupt all areas of air travel services this autumn, from security and baggage-handling through to cafés and restaurants.

They are expecting to get results this week on issues such as pay increases and provision of extra staff, the only areas of dispute that the industrial action still hangs on.

Workers at AENA and Enaire complain their income in real terms has gone down by 8% in the last few years, with the rising cost of living and tax burdens on the general population, combined with wage freezes, decreasing spending power.

They also want the companies, which are under the control of the tax authority and the ministry of public works, infrastructure and transport, to take on a further 600 members of staff in addition to replacing outgoing employees whose absence has depleted the payroll through retirements and voluntary exits.

This remains a stumbling block for the General Workers' Union (UGT), Labourers' Commission (CCOO) and USO, but the Treasury has agreed to review its budget to see whether it can go some way to meeting workers' requests.

Staff in every area of airport services had threatened strikes in 25 of Spain's major terminals throughout October and December, and also on November 3 and 5, which would have meant foreign and long-distance domestic travel descended into chaos until the New Year.