Iberia’s unions have called off six days of planned strikes following talks with the airline’s management.
Staff at the struggling Spanish carrier had been due to take their first day of industrial action on Friday and then follow up with five days of further strikes next week.
But unions have now postponed this action because they do not want to “harm passengers” in the run-up to the Christmas holidays.
Unions and Iberia’s owner IAG are in dispute over plans to cut 4,500 jobs in an attempt to curb losses at the Spanish airline which company says is facing a “fight for survival” (see online news November 9).
Despite the cancelling of the strikes, no agreement has been reached between Iberia and the unions which leaves the door open to potential strikes in 2013.
“Iberia hopes that in the future the possibilities of dialogue and negotiations will be exhausted before any new strikes are called since they inflict great harm on the company and its customers,” said Iberia in a statement.
“Iberia is pleased that its customers may now look forward to travelling without problems, though it regrets the damage already caused to company’s public image and to its business.”
Yesterday Iberia confirmed plans to cut underperforming routes next year, including services from Madrid to Athens, Istanbul, Cairo, Santo Domingo and Havana.
For more information visit iberia.com.
Report by Rob Gill
