Jon Clarke (Publisher & Editor)By Wendy Williams
TALKS between air traffic controllers and Spain’s airports authority AENA have broken down, heightening the prospect of a strike this month.
The two sides had been expected to reach an agreement by last Friday, after which time AENA said it was hoping to settle the dispute out of court.
But the deadline has been pushed back and Spain’s air traffic controllers will now decide on Thursday whether to go ahead with their walk out.
According to a spokesperson for the USCA union, representing the air traffic controllers, their decision will most likely be announced on Friday.
He said: “We hope the talks will be resumed, but if not, our executive committee will meet on Thursday and consider the situation, including possible strike action”.
The strike, coming at the height of the tourist season, could wreak havoc in a country which is so heavily reliant on the tourism industry.
And on Saturday travel companies, who are already feeling the effects of the conflict, were urging air traffic controllers to accept the government offer of arbitration.
Exceltur, the Spanish Alliance for Tourism Excellence, even said it would hold the air traffic controllers solely responsible for the adverse impact on Spain’s tourism sector.
“We will participate in any legal action that companies and sector associations might take in this negative hypothesis” Exceltur said.
As airline sector strikes must be announced at least 10 days beforehand no flight before 22 August will be affected by any eventual strike.
But that still leaves thousands of holidaymakers facing the prospect of travel chaos.
i think this strike by air controllers is utterly ludricous, given the state of the tourist industry at this present moment in time
Just sack em, and we’ll do their jobs for just £200k per annum.
This Family holiday has cost a fortune, planned for over a year, Paid more to go in schoool holidays, How dare they even threaten a strike, If people change their travel destinations they won’t have to worry about their jobs, they won’t have one STUPID STUPID PEOPLE……………….
It’s surprising that in this day and age of political correctness, human rights including prisoners having more rights than their victims and generally the world going mad that something as big as this that affects so many people can be allowed to happen. I’m sure that most working people out there would agree that if we held our bosses to ransom we wouldn’t have a job at all I know I certainly wouldn’t. It seems if it’s called a strike it’s ok but to me it is no more than stamping your feet and squealing until you get your own way. Mardy, spoilt people who should be grateful they have a job in the first place. I’m sure many people would step into their shoes given the chance. Then again as I said in the beginning we have lost our freedom of speech now, prisoners can rule so we shouldn’t be surprised when these idiots take away our well earned holiday.