Strike action may affect Spanish airports over Xmas

 

The Spanish Airports Authority, are angry at the Governments recent announcement regarding airport privatisation, and have joined the pilots with the threat of strike action over the festive period.

AENA report that they are as yet undecided on the exact dates and in the form that their protest action will take, however they are expected to make their intentions known after the coming holiday weekend.

Spain's CCOO, UGT and USO Unions are scheduled to hold a meeeting next week with members of the USCA air traffic controllers union, to decide on the best course of action to take, and when.

AENA board members have critisised this week's announcement by the government concerning the granting of concessions for the private management of Madrid and Barcelona airports as amounting to ‘bumping off AENA'.

Elena Salgado,Minister for the Economy, commented that privatisation will help to cut Spain's debt, and supporters agree that the 8 billion € forecast would help the Government to meet the debt target for 2011. She told the FT that amount was hoped to be raised by the privatisation of half of AENA and 30% of the State lottery, which she described as ‘one of the oldest and most lucrative in the world'.

AENA's threat came after Spanish pilots from the SEPLA union announced a delay in making any decision on possible strike action at Christmas until after a meeting with the Ministry for Development tomorrow.