Striking Iberia workers protest against job cuts
MADRID/LONDON (Reuters) - Thousands of workers facing pay and job cuts at loss-making Spanish airline Iberia on Monday staged a second wave of protests that could ground nearly 1,300 flights this week.
Iberia, part of International Airlines Group , is battling competition from low-cost airlines and high-speed trains as well as a deep recession in Spain, where one in four workers is without a job.
The strikes are a blow to Spain's tourist-dependent economy as it gears up for the spring and summer season. Tourism contributes about 11 percent to the country's economy.
Last week Iberia, Europe's biggest carrier to Latin America, said it would push ahead with plans to cut 3,800 jobs, or nearly one fifth of its staff, despite union opposition.
Workers marched from nearby Iberia offices to arrive at Terminal 4 at Madrid's Barajas airport at midday on Monday. Police had told protesters to stay in the arrivals area of the terminal, but they spread out across the airport.
"There were 10,000 of us this morning...On the motorway we made a line longer than 2 kilometers, it was incredible," said Diego Rejon, an Iberia maintenance worker.
http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2013-03-04/business/sns-rt-us-iberia-strikebre9220hb-20130304_1_spanish-airline-iberia-workers-protest-protest-against-job-cuts
Labour union UGT estimated 8,000 workers had taken part in the protest. The police were not immediately available for comment.
There was no violence, unlike the first round of strikes, which began on February 18, when union members clashed with police. The final demonstrations are planned for March 18 to 22.