Problems at a large airport in Europe. A strike that cannot be a strike
Up to 2,000 flights could have been canceled due to a staff strike at one of the largest airports in Europe. flights, but… the effects on passengers will be minimal.
This week, passengers traveling with the Finnish carrier Finnair are facing serious difficulties. The pilots have left their jobs, and further connections (including to the village of St. Nicholas) will also be canceled on December 14. However, another protest at an airport in Europe will not affect tourists.
Strike at the Madrid airport. Will flights be canceled?
From Tuesday, December 10 to Friday, December 14, there will be a strike at the largest airport in the capital of Spain, Madrid-Bajaras. Flight attendants announced that they would not be on duty from 07:00 to 23:59. The action could have led to cancellations of 1,500 to 2,000 flights of over five thousand, in five days of the week. Tourists from Poland also arrive at this airport, traveling, among others, with LOT, Ryanair and Wizz Air.
Impact on tourists? They are unlikely to be felt. By law, “minimum services” are to be provided at Spanish airports during strikes. However, the employer refused to provide information on which flights were covered. According to trade unionists, he violated their right to strike, and such a situation had already occurred during the two previous actions.
What are the protesters talking about?
Employees expressed their opposition to the human resources policy of Skyway, which manages aircraft traffic at the Madrid airport. They also recalled that 11 years had passed since the last indexation of their salaries, and salaries had significantly lost purchasing power.
“Today, after 11 years and 25 percent. inflation, a new employee receives 1,300 euros net per month for the first year, and after 10 years in the position we receive 1,600 euros per month,” the protesters said in a statement. The trade union also said that workers’ rights were being violated in relation to days off, breaks and increased duties. He also condemned the fact that employees are punished for taking sick leave.
Madrid-Barajas Airport (MAD) served almost 62 million passengers in 2019. In this respect, Barajas is the largest airport in Spain and one of the largest in Europe.
