Air-traffic controllers offered 200,000 euros a year if they call off the strike
By: thinkSPAIN , Wednesday, August 4, 2010
AENA bosses have offered striking air-traffic controllers an average salary of 200,000 euros a year until 2013 on the condition that they change their minds about downing tools.
They met with members of the air-traffic controllers' union, USCA, this afternoon to negotiate.
The airline governing body, AENA – which is part of the ministry of public works – has offered salaries 'way above staff's European colleagues' in a bid to make them re-think.
But air-traffic controllers, who have threatened to strike for up to three days starting from either August 18 or 20 – to be confirmed – say AENA has been attempting to bribe them with higher pay and failing to address their real concerns.
These include poor shift management, meaning long hours without a break, and the fact that they want to be given the right to retire early at the age of 57.
AENA has attempted to address working times by restricting annual hours to 1,670, with a further 80 hours' overtime.
This supposes a reduction of around an hour a week from the previous 1,800 hours a year (on average, 35 hours a week).
The plan will include fixed rest periods, programming of working days or nights and 24-hour shift sharing, as well as bonuses for productivity.
If the strike goes ahead, it could cost airlines millions of euros and leave holidaymakers heading for the Mediterranean this summer having to forego their trips.
Ryanair today called on the Spanish Government to ensure that Spain’s vital airports remain open and operating if air traffic control workers strike in August. The Spanish economy, passengers and airlines can not afford these airport closures at a time when traffic and tourism is suffering. Ryanair called on the Spanish Government to intervene in these strikes to ensure that Spain’s airports remain open for business, if necessary by calling out the Spanish military to operate air traffic control. Ryanair pointed out that in other EU countries the military can ensure air transport continues to operate, even during strikes, by providing vital services such as Air Traffic Control. Ryanair’s Stephen McNamara said: “Air transport and tourism is vital to the Spanish economy and the Government must ensure that Spanish airports remain open during strikes by calling on the military to provide air traffic control services. While air traffic controllers have the right to strike, these actions should not be allowed to disrupt the travel plans of millions of Spanish citizens or visitors. The Government must keep Spain’s vital airports and air traffic control services open even during periods of industrial disruption. This happens in many other European countries when strikes threaten air transport and it should happen in Spain as well so that innocent air passengers are not blackmailed or held to ransom by Spanish transport workers. Spanish Air Traffic Control strikes and the industrial action taken by French ATC workers in recent weeks highlights the urgent need for a standardised Europe-wide system of air traffic control to ensure that striking air traffic controllers in one country could not hold the travelling public to ransom. Under a standardised Europe-wide ATC strikes would be covered by controllers in other countries so that passengers are not disrupted by strike action of very well paid ATC workers.”
