Another group of workers at Spain’s busiest airport is threatening stoppages after a three-day strike by security control staff that caused huge waits and many passengers to miss flights appeared to die down on Wednesday.
Having apparently overcome the chaos caused by the strike called by workers at the security company Trablisa, Madrid-Barajas Airport may immediately face new stoppages that could result in more travel problems for passengers in the Spanish capital.
The SICA union, represented on the works council of Spain’s main airport, has announced that more workers are considering calling their own strikes to protest how understaffed they are and the way shifts are being allocated.
In this case it would be airport operation assistants who would be carrying out the strike action, workers who are responsible for coordinating and supervising airport activities.
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Currently, approximately 15 percent of these job positions are unfilled due to retirements, transfers or sick leave, according to SICA.
The union also criticises the fact that shifts are being assigned with little notice, even during holiday periods or days of reduced working hours.
Other staff responsible for daily operations at Spain’s biggest airport are reportedly facing the same problems, which could mean more deciding to join the potential strike, although the stoppage has not been confirmed yet.
“Aena’s average workforce is so old that it is estimated that in five years at least a third of them will have reached retirement age, and there is no evidence of these positions being filled , which suggests more staff shortages and more fraudulent cover-ups,” SICA warns.
Their announcement comes just after stoppages by security workers caused three consecutive days of holdups at security checkpoints at Madrid airport.
From Sunday to Tuesday, thousands of travellers had to wait up to an hour and a half to pass through these controls, resulting in many missing their flights.
Spanish flagship carrier Iberia said it had to find alternative flights for 5,000 passengers.
On Wednesday September 17th, there were no reports of major queues at security control points at Barajas, although security workers haven’t officially announced that the indefinite stoppage is over.
Airport management had already suggested that operations were increasingly “normalised” on Monday and Tuesday, with waiting times at security lasting 60 minutes rather than 90 minutes.
Security workers at Trablisa are demanding salary increases, compensation, and the implementation of a “Madrid bonus” for all airport staff, something management considers “unachievable”.
Trablisa have also announced that it is considering firing staff that took part in the security check strikes.
Their internal dispute is clear far from over, so it may not be the last time security staff at Barajas go on strike, nor other disgruntled workers at Spain’s largest airport.
