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11th hour talks avert Palma airport strike

Bars and restaurants operated as usual yesterday after dispute resolved

Palma airport bar and restaurant staff called off strike action yesterday morning. Staff were due to have gone on strike yesterday over staff shortages and poor working conditions, but on Thursday night, employers Recygsa said that it was prepared to negotiate and it appears that a deal was reached just hours before the strike was due to start yesterday. A second phase of industrial action planned for December 6 and 7 has also been called off for the time being. This weekend is one of the busiest of the winter because of the All Saints fiesta, and yesterday some 60.000 passengers would have faced disruptions. The director of Recygsa, Roberto Herman, said yesterday that talks started late on Thursday night went well into yesterday morning, but a deal was reached. Roberto Herman did not reveal what was agreed, but explained that one of the key issues, as opposed to contracting more staff, was to offer more part time staff permanent contracts. He said that his company employs a total 165 workers to man the 26 bar and restaurant outlets it has the concession to operate at Palma airport. Airport authority AENA welcomed the news that strike action has been avoided, although contingency plans had been drawn up to meet the needs of passengers, such as free water distribution points. Union bosses will study the deal reached, but it appears to have satisfied both sides of the dispute.

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