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Palma de Mallorca airport returns to normal after wild cat strikes
Palma de Majorca's Son Joan airport has returned to normal service after the Spanish air traffic controllers came back to work after a 24 hour wild cat strike. The controllers simply did not turn up for work on Friday evening and remained away from their posts until Saturday evening. An estimated 600,000 passengers were caught up in the industrial action and were left having to deal with travel chaos.
The air traffic controllers have been in dispute with the government all year over working conditions and pay cuts, and their union announced recently that their members had reached their maximum working hours for 2010. They blame the government for not talking to them about their work hours and rota, and claim that they are forced to works months on end without a break, and that any vacation they do take is considered to be absenteeism. Female employees say that the current working conditions prohibits their choice to become pregnant, and those with children say that they have no time to spend with their families.
The government declared a state of emergency yesterday and enlisted the military to help in the towers. The government also threatened the striking workers with criminal charges if they did not immediately return to work.
Most airlines have provided refunds or a change on to a new flight for cancelled flights, but the extra cost of hotels and nourishment is borne by the passenger unless they have separate travel insurance cover. The Spanish strike follows on from airport closures last week because of snow and freezing temperatures.
