Alex Trelinski
PILOTS working for the Valencia-based carrier, Air Nostrum, have voted overwhelmingly in favour of indefinite strike action in their on-going pay row.
92% of pilots backed the move during a two-day meeting in Valencia City.
It follows on from seven days of strikes over the Christmas and New Year period.
Pilots union Sepla said it was a response to Air Nostrum’s ‘immovable’ position in preventing negotiations to sign a new agreement ‘that sets fair working conditions and wages for workers’.
The union added that management had ‘systematically’ rejected proposals for over seven months.
The two parties have talks scheduled for next Tuesday and Wednesday.
Air Nostrum said that if it caved in to Sepla’s ‘exorbitant’ requests for a 30% salary hike over two years, the firm’s financial viability would be threatened.
It added that it ‘deeply regretted Sepla’s decision considering the point that negotiations are at’.
An accumulated salary increase of 16% over three years has been offered for assistant pilots and 13% for flight captains.
“These figures are above what is being negotiated in the air sector and above the average of most collective bargaining agreements in Spain,” an Air Nostrum statement said.
