I just read a report on online Costa del Sol News that Airport workers are now planning several strikes. Already Madrid airport has seen some protests.
Is this the norm for this time of year, or is the privatisation of most of the airport workers' jobs going to mean disruptions and even closures of airports in Spain this Spring ? Anybody got any up to date news?


The full report from http://costadelsolsnews.es .............

Protests against airport privatisation cause havoc
BY DAVE JAMIESON

TRAVELLERS HEADING FOR M�LAGA AIRPORT LAST FRIDAY FOUND THEIR WAY BLOCKED BY PROTESTERS, A GRIM FOREWARNING OF THE DELAYS THAT COULD TAKE PLACE IN THE WEEKS BEFORE EASTER. Around 100 employees of the airport's operator, AENA, put up barriers and set fire to rubbish containers and old tyres on the approach road to the terminals, close to the San Miguel brewery, sending columns of black smoke into the air. Fire fighters extinguished the blazes within 20 minutes, while local police units were rapidly on the scene to direct traffic.
WALKING TO THE TERMINAL
Traffic on the N-340 approaching the area was disrupted for over an hour and some passengers decided to walk the distance to the terminal carrying their luggage, rather than miss their flights. Others became involved in angry confrontations with the protesters.
The action taken at M�laga is part of a continuing series of demonstrations by AENA employees, who are also planning a series of one-day strikes in protest against plans to privatise the airport management business.
STOPPAGES FOR MARCH AND APRIL
Unions say that their members at M�laga Airport will stop work on March 5, 7, 9 and 12 and on April 2, 7 and Easter Sunday, April 11, seriously affecting travel arrangements at a time when thousands of tourists arrive annually to witness the region's Holy Week processions.
A member of the workers' strike committee said that the employees will continue the series of protests, which began the previous Friday at Madrid's Barajas Airport, until their employers decide to revisit the privatisation decision. Jos� Luis Garcia Carrasco said that the plans put the stability of future employment in danger for around 6,000 employees throughout Spain, including 80 per cent of the 370 staff members in M�laga.
At a meeting on Tuesday of this week, AENA management and the unions failed to reach an accord, and further meetings were planned for later in the week in the hope of avoiding the threatened strike actions.

Nige

hey Nige, thanks for the heads up on this.

they always do this for one reason or another around semana santa, summer and/or the holiday times when travel is at a peak.

saludos,
jer...

Oh god...is it that time of year again?

quote:

they always do this for one reason or another around semana santa, summer and/or the holiday times when travel is at a peak.

In other countries it�s called a pay increase or cost of living increase. It happens around the holiday times to give them more leverage because the airports soon will be or are crammed and there is not time to find replacements.

aena.es
Bloody Airports