HOLIDAYMAKERS heading to Spain this weekend have been handed a boost after a group of airport staff suspended strike action until next week.
Airport workers belonging to Groundforce had called an indefinite strike from Friday, March 27.
But that has been pushed back to Monday as part of a temporary truce.
From then, staff affiliated to Spain’s three major trade unions – the General Workers’ Union (UGT), the Workers’ Commissions (CCCO) and the Syndicated Workers’ Union (USO) – will walkout on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays during the select hours of 5am to 7am, 11am to 5pm and 10pm to midnight.
However, the brief reprieve does not impact around 3,000 workers employed by the Menzies group, who will strike on March 28 and 29, and April 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 following a call by the UGT.
The walkout by ground staff and baggage handlers will coincide with the beginning of Semana Santa celebrations – one of the busiest weeks of the year for travel companies with millions of locals and tourists passing through Spain’s airports.
Union representatives say workers are furious over poor working conditions and the application of collective agreements for ground handling services.
Passengers are being warned to expect longer queues at check-in, delays to baggage loading and unloading, plus slower boarding, all of which increase the risk of frustrating knock-on delays.
The government will enforce minimum service requirements to prevent a wave of cancellations, although this move is unlikely to prevent delays.
Holidaymakers are urged to check their flight status and arrive early, especially if travelling with check-in baggage.
Some of Spain’s busiest airports including Barcelona El-Prat, Sevilla, Palma de Mallorca, Madrid-Barajas, Malaga and Alicante are set to be most affected by the strikes.
The two companies involved also operate at several smaller airports including Zaragoza, Santiago de Compostela, Bilbao and key holiday hubs in the Canary Islands and Balearic Islands.
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