The protest comes after Iberia lost handling service at eight of the state’s main airports, including Bilbao. The company is proposing to replace jobs and the unions are calling for Iberia to do ‘car handling’ for all companies in the IAG group.
The UGT and CCOO unions have reactivated the unions strike call for the workers of ‘handling’ (Ground service) Iberia during Christmas, this time for the days January 5, 6, 7 and 8in the middle of the Epiphany festivities and the return operation from the Christmas holidays, a strike that would affect Bilbao airport.
Last Wednesday, the factories suspended an earlier strike notice – which was also extended until December 29 to 31 – to continue negotiations with the company, in the presence of the Ministry of Transport, but no agreement was reached in that forum. no agreement and they have reactivated the protest for January 5 to 8, as they explain in a statement.
The protest comes next Iberia loses the handling service in eight of the most important airports of the state (Barcelona, Palma de Mallorca, Málaga, Alicante, Gran Canaria, Tenerife South, Ibiza and Bilbao), although it retained Madrid, in the tender that Aena failed in September.
The company considers the call “unjustified” because she is a “ambitious” offer which would serve to “further strengthen workers’ rights”, guaranteeing the sector’s V Convention “for life”. According to the airline, this offer would guarantee all jobs surrogacy, so there would be no ‘destruction of jobs, nor direct elimination of jobs’.
Iberia has proposed creating a ‘hybrid’ model owned by an IAG Group company, and ‘even exploring the possibility of this vehicle being 100% owned by the group at airports where it made sense’; That company would handle handling for all IAG airlines at the eight airports, as outlined in a note.
The unions do not want this subrogation because it means leaving the Iberia umbrella, even though they are protected by the sector agreement, and they ask that Iberia do ‘autohandling’ for all companies in the IAG group – which it has done together with British Airways belongs. , Vueling, Aer Lingus and Level.
The unions reaffirm that Iberia must take on the assistance of the IAG group companies ‘on its own’. They demand that the company guarantee a viability plan for the handling activities, a solution for the eight affected airports, and that in the event of redundant staff that will entail additional costs for the new operation, an “express agreement on agreed separation” (ERE) .
Iberia assures that following the strike call confirmed today, “the company’s proposals will be automatically withdrawn”. Therefore, the only solution considered is subrogation of the companies that received the Aena tender. Iberia assures that it will facilitate this subrogation process and ensure that “all legally established guarantees” are respected.
Source: EITB
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
