Iberia proposes to create a new handling company by cutting staff

Iberia and the unions continue to negotiate to reach an agreement handling (ground services). The company’s latest proposal is to create a new company within the IAG Group that will develop this activity, a project that depends on the dismissal of 1,727 employees, which would be done through incentivized sick leave and early retirement. At this time, the employee representatives have not yet provided a response.

The departure of employees would be progressive over the next two years, with a deadline until December 31, 2026, according to the statement released by the airline last Monday.

This decision comes after the strike over the Three Kings weekend and after negotiations last week with UGT and CCOO, who defend the need to keep workers in Iberia’s orbit after losing their licenses at eight of the country’s main airports (all the big ones except Barajas) in the tender decided by Aena in September.

This result forced workers to be subrogated to the companies that won the handling competitions at each of the airports that lost (Bilbao, Málaga, Alicante, Palma de Mallorca, Ibiza, Barcelona, ​​​​Las Palmas and Tenerife South), but the unions. for the staff to continue in Iberia.

According to information from Iberia, the creation of this company 100% owned by International Airlines Group (IAG) – which includes Iberia, British Airways, Vueling, Aer Lingus and Level – guarantees all the rights of its employees because all employees sign the company agreement to enforce.

Iberia Airport Services (the company that provides the handling) has approximately 8,000 employees.