The impasse between AENA, the Spanish Airports Authority, and airport workers over the proposed part privatisation of Spanish airports has escalated. Apart from the one-day strike announced for Thursday 21 April, the unions are now proposing a total of 22 days of strikes over the coming five months.

It was announced yesterday that the Comisiones Obreras (CCOO), the Unión General de Trabajadores (UGT) and the Unión Sindical Obrera (USO) are proposing the following days for the airport workers' strikes:

20th, 21st, 24th, 25th, 30th April

2nd, 14th, 15th, 19th, 20th May

13th, 23rd, 30th June

1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 15th, 31st July

1st, 15th, 31st August

If the strikes go ahead, it will be a catastrophe for the Spanish tourism industry, which was hoping for a boost in the wake of the troubles in North Africa affecting tourist areas like Tunisia. It will also cause headaches for thousands of travellers planning to fly on those dates. Whether airlines will allow passengers to re-book free of charge remains to be seen. And will they have the capacity on their remaining flights? Expect chaos!

© Paul Whitelock

See also:

Air strike at Easter!

Tags:  AENA, Spanish Airports Authority, Comisiones Obreras, CCOO, Unión General de Trabajadores, UGT, Unión Sindical Obrera, USO, Spanish tourism, paul whitelock, www.a1-solutions-spain.com