All SDP staff at Apron Management Service and the ground operations team at Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas airport handled the situation as the strike began at 0:00 on Sunday. The disruption did not interrupt the normal flight schedule, maintaining the core travel flow despite the action.
In a formal statement to EFE, the organizing union UGT indicated that the strike had the full backing of Skyway employees serving Madrid airport. The action was not included in the minimum services plan intended to protect 91% of operations, and as a result, workers did not report for duty.
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Despite early reports of limited disruption, only a small number of flights suffered notable delays during the initial phase of the dispute, which is scheduled to run through January 7.
The same source criticized the minimum services as distorted and argued that they limit the right to strike. They described the offered services as excessive and unrealistic, noting that the rules do not reflect the needs of both workers and passengers.
The minimum service plan in effect for the busiest travel day of the year is viewed as insufficient, with critics arguing that the ministry should not be misled by the current offer. The Skyway company is a focal point of these concerns.
Approximately 35 Skyway staff members, who provided services in 2022, have been mobilized with an offer that is reportedly 15% lower than the prior compensation and 30% lower than the starting rate.
According to UGT, the reduction in terms is tied to a failure to maintain previous working conditions, made possible by the absence of a succession plan and a formal collective agreement, which are regarded as essential to public-interest service operations.
The union notes a trend of deteriorating working conditions and service quality across several companies since 2011. This highlights tensions with Skyway’s current management within a broader inflationary context that has persisted for more than a decade, affecting wages and costs overall.
Minimum services mandated by the transport ministry cover 91% of operations. UGT points out that only about 58% of international flights and 32% of domestic flights are guaranteed under these rules.
The air-navigation manager Enaire stated that the strike affects only operators delivering Apron Management at Barajas airport for terminals T1, T2, T3, and T4, and does not impact air traffic control services, which are described as a separate and independent function.
Similarly, the Alternative Union of AENA and Enaire (ASAE) explained that the strike concerns private and external personnel of the public entities AENA and Enaire and not the two public companies themselves. ASAE called for privatization of the SDP tasks conducted in 2011 and for returning these functions to staff within AENA or Enaire, to avoid future conflicts.