Rewrite of: Sepla pushes Air Europa pilots to a new strike amid bargaining stalemate

The Spanish airline pilots union Sepla has announced a new planned strike action for Air Europa pilots, set to unfold between June 19 and July 2, triggered by what the union describes as the airline’s confrontational stance. The walkout follows ongoing efforts around the Collective Bargaining negotiations, which the union says Air Europa has not approached with the constructive mindset needed to reach a balanced agreement. Instead, Sepla portrays the carrier as adopting a hardline posture that complicates progress and undermines trust between management and staff, a situation that the union views as detrimental to both pilots and the broader operation of the airline. Sepla’s leadership stresses that the decision to pursue industrial action did not come easily but was driven by a persistent impasse created by what it describes as a lack of sincere willingness to negotiate on the part of Air Europa management, and by the perceived rigidity that characterizes the company’s recent approach to labor relations. The union notes that this stance has left pilots with limited options to express their concerns and to secure terms that reflect their expertise, commitment, and the realities of the industry in which they work. It is the continuation of a pattern that Sepla has repeatedly warned could undermine safety, reliability, and morale if not addressed through meaningful dialogue and timely bargaining sessions. The union claims that Air Europa has chosen to escalate tensions with its workforce rather than engage in good faith conversations, and contends that the airline has taken actions that appear aimed at delegitimizing the union’s claims by alleging illegality about the previous strike call. The message from Sepla is clear: without genuine negotiation, repeated strikes could become a recurrent feature of the labor landscape at Air Europa, with potential spillover effects on schedules, service levels, and passenger confidence. This latest action marks the third significant wave of pilot strikes in a short span, following a series of protests on May 1, 2, 4, 5 and May 22, 23, 25, 26, 29, 30, as well as May 1 and June 2, all of which the union argues underscore a deteriorating climate for labor relations at the company. The extended timetable underscores the union’s aim to secure a robust negotiation framework that can address key concerns such as pay scales, flight duty regulations, workload distribution, and the integration of pilot staffing with operational realities. In public statements, Sepla has emphasized that the repeated disruptions are not mere irritants but indicators of deeper systemic issues within Air Europa’s approach to management accountability, staffing planning, and strategic communication with its pilots. The union contends that the ongoing paralysis stems from what it describes as an inactive strategy by the airline, one that hinders the necessary understanding between the two sides and unnecessarily prolongs the broader business dispute. In this framing, the board’s actions have been criticized as lacking urgency and transparency, with Sepla arguing that several attempts to initiate discussions have not been matched by reciprocal measures from Air Europa. The pilots’ representatives point to missed opportunities and delayed responses, including invitations that remained unanswered for extended periods. The union notes that Air Europa’s leadership has declined invitations to begin negotiations with new proposals that were designed to be discussed within the Interfederal Mediation and Arbitration System SIMA, arguing that such proposals could offer a practical path to resolution within a structured, neutral framework that has worked for other labor disputes in the sector. The company maintains that SIMA plays a constructive role in facilitating dialogue, while Sepla maintains that the proposed measures did not sufficiently reflect the pilots’ expectations or address the most pressing operational challenges facing the airline. Knowledgeable sources describe a series of conversations held last May, some at SIMA and others at Air Europa facilities, during which both sides explored potential avenues for reconciliation. Following those discussions, Air Europa reportedly filed for arbitration at SIMA, a move that the union said was rejected as not aligned with the needs and aspirations of the pilots. As the dispute evolved, Air Europa reportedly signaled a willingness to hold up to ten additional meetings, reaffirming a readiness to negotiate and engage in dialogue, but the union insists that any talks must be anchored in real concessions, transparent timelines, and measurable outcomes that can restore trust and stability to the workforce. The broader context of this stalemate includes a shared interest among both sides in maintaining a reliable and safe air service for passengers, customers, and stakeholders relying on Air Europa’s network. The union argues that timely, good-faith negotiations are essential to preserving flight safety, ensuring predictable rosters for pilots, and safeguarding the airline’s reputation in a competitive market. As discussions continue to unfold, observers note that the sequence of strikes and counter-motions reflects broader tensions inside the airline sector where staffing, compensation, and working conditions are increasingly linked to business performance and investor confidence. The outcome of these talks will likely shape not only the near-term schedule and crew availability at Air Europa but also the company’s approach to engagement with labor groups in the months ahead, with potential implications for labor relations practices across the wider aviation industry. Sepla and Air Europa both face the challenge of translating competing interests into an agreement that upholds safety, fairness, and operational efficiency, while maintaining a stable, positive relationship with the pilots who form the backbone of the airline’s day-to-day operations. In this moment, the union remains focused on securing a framework that clarifies roles, responsibilities, and compensation structures, and that provides a clear path to dispute resolution should disagreements reemerge. The industry will be watching closely as negotiations proceed, hopeful for a resolution that respects workers’ rights while sustaining Air Europa’s ability to deliver reliable service to travelers in both Canada and the United States and across its international routes. — Sepla official communications and trade union briefings.