In the end, there will be another strike this weekend. Ground staff from the company Iberia will walk out at Barcelona-El Prat airport. Union representatives, despite having earlier announced it would be called off, have now left the negotiating table without signing the agreement they had reached.
Sources from the strike committee told El Periódico that the company had resisted putting down in writing the promises they had made verbally during the mediation promise, favoured by senior leadership at the labour ministry. The draft agreement reached between Iberia and the unions to end the strikes, what they described as a "demonstration of responsibility", has broken down. As such, the 48-hour strike is to go ahead on Friday 30th and Saturday 31st.
Workers were asking for the 400 currently on temporary contracts to be taken on part-time, and for the 190 currently working part-time to be given full-time contracts, as well as for the reorganisation of shifts for them to better balance work and family life. A union spokesperson accused Iberia of a "complete lack of respect for its staff and for travellers".
Among the airlines Iberia provides services to are Vueling, British Airways and Aer Lingus. Ground staff already went on strike last weekend, joining security guards who have their own, separate complaints with their current work conditions.