Madrid Metro Strike suspended for 1 week

Madrid's Metro workers have delayed further strike action until next Monday when they will meet again and decide whether to resume the strike the following day. This means that the Metro has been running as normal all day, and will do so for the rest of the week.

Today's meeting today was held away from the press, as the unions are apparently concerned at the negative way in which they have been reported in the media.

Last week the Metro operator issued a total of 900 fines to employees who too industrial action on Tuesday and Wednesday last week. The company said by doing so it was in keeping with the law regarding the minimum services established by the Madrid regional government.

The unions say that the condition for the week’s grace is for none of the fines to be enforced, and have also suggested that the Metro management reduces costs in advertising and sponsorship, overtime, and bonuses for highly paid managers.

Only last week the regional president of Madrid,Esperanza Aguirre, publicly critisized strikers, who ceased work due to the imosed 5% wage-cut, saying they should count themselves lucky that as public sector workers they will never be made redundant – unlike almost 20% of the population of Spain who is unable to find work.

She has included metro workers in the wage-cut, as she considers it unfair to allow those with the capeabilities to hold the capital to ransom to be excempt.