Eighteen Air Europa flights saw disruptions on Monday as the Spanish airline’s pilots initiated a strike scheduled to last until Friday (May 5).
The pilots’ union accused Air Europa of “toying with workers’ rights” by imposing deteriorating working conditions on pilots.
This is the first strike by the pilots since 2011, and the union claims the pilots cooperated during COVID-19 pandemic layoffs.
“What the group will not tolerate is company management pursuing profits at any cost, harming both users and workers. Regarding users, airline ticket prices surged over 54% in the past year while management imposes arbitrary conditions and cuts on employees’ working situations,” the Sepla union said in a statement.
This strike coincides with the ongoing Air Nostrum pilot strikes being held every Monday and Friday.
Unionized Swissport ground staff also began an indefinite strike on Monday, while maintenance workers in the aviation industry initiated a series of strikes. Both are expected to cause further disruptions as the bustling summer travel season gets underway.
On Labor Day, Spain’s primary unions demanded increased wages across various sectors and warned of sector-wide strikes if businesses refuse to engage in negotiations. (AA)
