Iberia strikes over Christmas called off

The unions representing Iberia staff have announced that the six days of strikes in the days before Christmas have been called off, despite not having reached an agreement with the management of the company at its meeting held yesterday at the headquarters of the Interconfederal Service Mediation and Arbitration (SIMA). After eight hours of meetings, UGT, CCOO, USO, Asetma, and CTA Flight Sictpla have decided call off the planned strikes on 14th, 17th, 18th, 19th, 20th and 21st December saying that they have done so “with the airlines users in mind”.

The strike committee is scheduled to meet today to consider re-establishing a new schedule of strikes in January after the holidays. The unions have pointed out they had filed a settlement proposal that Iberias management has refused and they therefore so believe that Iberia “has no real willingness to negotiate”. The restructuring plan behind the strikes foresees Iberia cutting 4,500 jobs and a pay cut of between 25 and 35%, and a decrease of 15% of routes and fleet (25 less aircraft), and the segregation of maintenance and ground service activities.