Iberia Barcelona Ground Staff Strikes August 24 – 25 & 30

More than 2,700 Iberia ground staff in Barcelona are set to strike this weekend on Saturday and Sunday (August 24 & 25) and then again next week on Friday and Saturday (August 30 & 31).

Because Iberia holds dominant position in Barcelona, Spanish government has required 53% minimum service requirement for domestic and foreign flights.

You can access Iberia’s website here.

Spanish press is reporting that there will be many cancellations and more than 100 Vueling flights have been already canned for the weekend.

Here’s the announcement that Iberia has up on their website:

Strike in Barcelona airport on 24th and 25th August 2019

Due to the strike that is to be held by Iberia Staff in Barcelona airport (BCN) planned for 24 and 25 August 2019, customers with an Iberia operated 075 ticketed issued by 21st August to or from Barcelona who wish to move their departure away from the days of the strike, may rebook to an alternative date between 21st to 28th August, 2019.

We apologise for any inconvenience that this circumstance may cause you and we greatly appreciate your understanding.

Here’s an excerpt from the Publico (access their piece here):

The staff of Iberia Barcelona is about 2,700 workers, who are responsible for billing, boarding, loading and unloading, assistance and maintenance to airplanes, and provide services to about twenty companies, including Vueling.

These strikes follow those summoned on Saturday, July 27 and Sunday, July 28, after Iberia’s workforce and management did not reach an agreement on the demands for labor improvements that led to the strike a month ago.

Workers ask to guarantee job stability, end the lack of staff, excess workloads and abuse of overtime mandatory, and reorganize shifts to facilitate family and personal reconciliation.

Conclusion

The parties can always reach a last minute agreement but the ground employees were already on strike for two days in late July. These two strikes this month that are basically on weekends would severely affect the leisure traffic at the peak of the season.

Passengers that are flying to/from or via Barcelona on these four dates should consult their itineraries. Iberia Ground staff handles roughly thirty airlines in the city.

Some courts have rules that strikes by airline’s own employees are not an extraordinary circumstances per EC 261/2004 and airline (Iberia in this case) would be required to pay compensation in case of long delays and cancellations. Duty to care and rebooking are required regardless by Iberia and other airlines whose flights are affected.