MADRID, January 5 — Ground staff at IAG-affiliated Iberia today began a four-day strike at Spanish airports, forcing the cancellation of hundreds of flights, but the airline said there would be minimal impact on service. reported that it is limited.
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Iberia said in a statement that as of 7 a.m. local time, operations had resumed as normal and only 17% of its employees had taken part in the strike.
Iberia said earlier that “more than 90% of our customers have already found a solution to the cancellation of their flights” as the strike continued for several weeks amid talks between the company and the union.
Ground staff, including baggage handlers, are protesting the signing of a contract with a new provider at a Spanish airport after negotiations between unions and the airline broke down at a last-minute meeting.
Spain’s two main trade unions, UGT and CCOO, have called for a strike from January 5 to January 8, disrupting travel during the country’s traditional Epiphany holiday.
Neither union had announced the number of participants as of early today.
An Iberia spokesperson said late yesterday that Madrid airport would not be affected, but airports that could be affected include Alicante, Barcelona, Bilbao, Gran Canaria, Ibiza, Malaga, Palma de Mallorca, It said Tenerife was included.
Iberia, Iberia Express and Air Nostrum have canceled 400 flights, and other IAG partner airlines have canceled a further 300 flights, he added.
Other airlines using Iberia’s airport services may also be affected, he added, but the minimum service law should limit disruption.
He said only 3,800 of the company’s 8,000 ground service employees currently work at airports where services are operated by new contractors, and it remains to be seen how widespread the strike will be. He pointed out that the situation remains unclear.
Paloma Gallardo, head of the Iberian union CCOO, said earlier that the union expected strikes to take place at all airports, including Madrid.
“We want that to happen as much as possible. The conflict is very serious,” she said.
Spain’s commercial airports are operated by state-owned Aena, which in September hired a new contractor for the service previously provided by Iberia at many airports, and the new supplier has replaced its employees and Despite promising to maintain those working conditions, the company incurred the wrath of the labor union.
Iberia is challenging the new contract in a Spanish court, calling its strike action in the interim “irresponsible.”