Spain’s aviation unions reached a tentative agreement that ends a planned Christmas period strike wave at major airports after the government and airport authorities agreed to resume a backdated productivity wage that had been paused during the pandemic. The breakthrough appears to unlock a broader, group-wide payout across AENA, Enaire, and Murcia Region Airport, though some union factions say the formal commitment has already been delivered and others are not voting in favor of the plan.
In a statement, the CCOO announced that a meeting with the group companies on Wednesday clarified that the productivity salary payments and the normalization of payroll processes had been formally transferred. With those steps in place, the union indicated it would suspend the strike actions and move toward implementation of the agreed measures.
The union framed the move as a response to pressure that had drawn broad media attention since the prior Friday, including threats to call strikes on key dates during the Christmas period if the commitments were not honored.
According to CCOO, the efficiency salary will be paid along with performance management during the first quarter of the year, with 80 percent disbursed in January and the remaining 20 percent in March. A spokesperson stated that this schedule would ensure timely compensation while the new performance framework is integrated.
UGT, for its part, signaled that the government has committed to taking all necessary steps to ensure the payment is completed by the end of January. The labor group emphasized that there had been no formal denial of the plan, and no unusual hurdles had been reported, making a Christmas disruption unnecessary given the month and a half lead time still available for payment adjustments.
Pre-deal developments and Air Nostrum strike activity
At the same time, Sepla pilots at Air Nostrum announced a separate strike action linked to demands for wage updates that would reflect the consumer price index during the Christmas period, as negotiations for a new collective bargaining agreement continue. These actions highlight continuing tensions around pay and conditions in the Iberian aviation sector.
Iberia and its unions have reached a preliminary accord on the XVIII passenger cabin crew contract. The agreement, if ratified by members, would raise salaries by 10.29 percent for 2022 and 2023 and could rise further, potentially surpassing 14.3 percent in 2024. Union sources told EFE that this increase would be the highest seen in the group’s history. The agreement covers more than 3,600 workers and Sitcpla, alongside CCOO and UGT, have welcomed the proposal but indicated it still requires affiliates’ approval for final adoption.