Palma airport bar staff threatening industrial action

Palma airport managed to make it through the summer unscathed by industrial actions, but air passengers now face the threat of bar and restaurant strikes and industrial action by ground staff. Yesterday, representatives for employees of Recygsa, the company contracted to run Palma airport's bars and restaurants, announced that strike action has been called for November 1, 2, 3 and December 6 and 7 in protests over lack of staff. In an official statement issued by the CC.OO workers' commission union, strike action is the only option left for angry workers after talks broke down between workers and the management and even an arbitration board failed to find a solution. Workers are demanding more staff be employed and that they be provided with “acceptable working conditions so they can provide a quality service.” The final straw appears to have come last Friday when, according to the union, bar and restaurant staff were stretched to the maximum at the airport. “Some of the bars and restaurants had to borrow cleaning staff,” in order to cope. There is also growing industrial unrest amongst ground staff at Spain's 15 largest airports, including Palma. In march next year, Spanish airport authority AENA's luggage handling contract with Iberia expires and the two main unions, the CC.OO and the UGT are concerned that jobs could be at risk when the new licences come up for renewal. At 26 of Spain's small airports, their is only one handling contract per airport while stiff competition is expected in the battle for the contracts at the major airports. Both unions have warned this week that industrial action will be taken if jobs are put in jeopardy.