Iberia braces for new wave of strikes from January 25

Iberia recently indicated that it is readying itself to confront a new wave of strikes by pilots and ground workers. The airline said that its pilots, represented by the SEPLA union, will go on strike on January 25, January 27 and January 30 this year. The airline also stated that its ground workers and cabin crew have voted for industrial action.

Pilots will go on strike to stoutly oppose creating of a low-cost carrier Iberia Express, which will be a replacement for Iberia’s loss-making medium-haul network. Earlier, the pilots resorted to similar action and staged four one-day walkouts on December 18 and December 29, 2011 and January 9 and January 11, 2012.

Iberia’s 16,000 ground workers have also approved industrial action and plan to stop work every Friday and Monday from February 3, 2012 onwards. The ground workers are demanding extension of the job guarantee clause.