Baggage handlers at Palma Airport planning to strike on Easter week
Friday, April 11th, 2014
A committee representing workers at EFS, the company responsible for maintenance and baggage handling at the airport of Son Sant Joan de Palma de Mallorca, have called a strike for the 16th of April through to the 21st right over the Easter week.
In a statement released, workers state that the strike (strikes) will be for four hours a day and over two shifts – between 12:00 and 14:00 hours and from 18:00 to 20:00.
The baggage handlers claim that the strike is necessary after having failed to reach any agreement with the company at the negotiating table. The issues originate from when EFS took over the service on the 1st of December 2013.
One of the requests of the workforce is for all of the staff of the previous company, prior to the EFS takeover, to be brought back to work. Around twenty staff were left out after failing to accept the new terms involving, among other things, the losing of seniority.
The ‘other things’ which caused the walk out of nearly half of the 57 strong workforce were, not accepting the new conditions which reportedly don’t respect the acquired rights, wages and the collective bargaining agreement.
They also want to be able to call the same workers each high season, exercising this ability.
Among its main claims is the demand to recognize the handling agreement , which includes an annual work time of 1,724 hours compared to 1770 hours provided by the company, which applies the Metal covenant. (an agreement referring to nationally accepted working hours)
A representative of the workers stated “We hope there is an offer and that the company intends to solve the problem,” but also warned that if there isn’t an agreement of possibly “even expanding the strike full-time, as long as they have the full support of the workforce.”
Today, the company and representatives for the employees will attend the Arbitration and Mediation Court of the Balearic Islands in an attempt to reach a settlement that allows for the strike to be called off and to prevent damage to tourism.
Brendan Bierley
