Having appeared earlier on Thursday that no immediate end to the strike by TIB bus drivers was in sight, the Balearic Transport Federation made a surprise announcement in the evening that there is an agreement in principle. This has been reached "out of social responsibility and for the benefit of passengers".
In a preliminary document signed with the SATI union, bus operators will commit to a salary increase spread over four years: 5% in the first year, 3% in the second year, and 0.5% in the third, plus an increase corresponding to the increase in the Consumer Price Index in the third and fourth years. Given that the CPI is expected to rise by two per cent in those years, the estimated salary increase amounts to 12.5% over four years.
There has been movement on holidays, on working hours and on rest periods. The federation says: "This agreement represents an important step in improving working conditions in the sector, although companies recognise that it represents a financial challenge. The intention is to maintain a balance that allows for providing quality service to passengers."
The SATI must now ratify this agreement in principle at a workers' assembly and then proceed with the signing of the final document.