Ground handling staff at major airports in Spain have announced a series of strikes for the rest of the year, starting from next week.
More than 3,000 employees of Azul Handling, which provides baggage and ramp handling and aircraft towing services, are taking part in the industrial action.
The first strike is due to take place from 15 to 17 August, with staff walking out from 5am-9am, 12pm-3pm, and 9pm-11.59pm.
Further strike action will take place every Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday, at the same times, until 31 December.
Azul handles Ryanair and Buzz, Lauda Europe and Malta Air, which are all part of the Ryanair group.
The walkouts are taking place at Alicante, Barcelona, Girona, Ibiza, Lanzarote, Madrid, Malaga, Palma, Santiago, Tenerife South, Santiago, Seville, and Valencia, which are all Ryanair bases.
A Ryanair spokesperson told Travel Gossip: “Ryanair does not expect any disruption to our operation as a result of these third-party handling strikes in Spain.”
The UGT union has called the strike in a dispute over a lack of stable job creation, restrictions on medical leave and the consolidation of part-time working hours.
The union said: “UGT regrets having to go to these extremes and all the damages that may occur, for which the direct responsibility will be solely and exclusively the company and its reckless action with the workforce.”
