The CCOO union, which has the largest personnel representation in the Aena airports authority network, has called a strike for the Christmas period that will affect some 10,000 workers. These include personnel at control centres, but air-traffic controllers with the UCSA union will not be striking. Among other workers are administrative staff, firefighters and flight technicians.
The strikes have been called for December 22, 23, 30 and 31 and for January 6 and 8. If the conflict is not resolved, strike action will be maintained during the first quarter of next year and up to Easter.
The CCOO says that it has spent months requesting that Aena restores productivity pay. This had been paid for several years but wasn't during the pandemic.
Francisco José Casado Moreno, general secretary of CCOO at Aena, says that air traffic has returned to 2019 levels and exceeds this at some airports. He notes that payment of dividends to private shareholders in the Aena group has been authorised and is therefore demanding that there is similar recovery of payments "that correspond to us".
Casado adds that the national ministry of transport was warned in November that strike action was possible. Despite the "good words" from the ministry and Aena, the delay in reaching an agreement "is causing a lot of unease among those present at the negotiating table".