Strike talks involving workers assisting passengers with reduced mobility at Palma Airport have collapsed after a meeting between union representatives and airport services company ADELTE Transporte y Servicios EFS ended without agreement.
The planned walkouts will take place in shifts from Monday to Sunday, covering hours from early morning to late evening, including full-day strikes on Saturdays.
Union representatives said the company refused to address what they described as the main labour and organisational problems affecting staff, including repeated extensions to working hours, a lack of job stability, excessive use of part-time contracts and worsening working conditions. Planned strike action will now go ahead after mediation at the Balearic Islands Labour Arbitration and Mediation Tribunal (TAMIB) failed to produce a deal.
Tensions reportedly escalated during the meeting after a company representative allegedly referred to workers gathered outside in support of the strike as “an entertaining show”, comments that union members said caused outrage among the strike committee.
The dispute intensified further after the company reportedly announced the recruitment of nine new workers on 50% contracts shortly after the meeting concluded. Union representatives claim staff are already working extended hours on a near-daily basis and argue the move highlights what they describe as structural staffing and organisational problems within the service.
The strike committee says the dispute is not solely about pay but about what it calls constant pressure, staff shortages and unstable working conditions affecting employees responsible for assisting vulnerable passengers at Palma airport. Union representatives also apologised in advance to travellers who may be affected by the industrial action, while insisting the protest aims to improve both working conditions and the long-term quality of service provided to passengers with reduced mobility.