Holiday strikes at Barcelona, Madrid airports called off

MADRID, Dec. 20 (Xinhua) -- The Christmas holiday strike planned by the 2,000 workers employed by Iberia airlines at Barcelona's El Prat airport has been cancelled, the Spanish General Workers Union (UGT) confirmed on Wednesday.

The strike involving both ground staff and cabin crew had been scheduled to start on Thursday and continue to Sunday.

The UGT claims that due to a lack of staff, the airline owes over 7,000 hours of rest time to workers, who had been due to hold a series of four-hour stoppages which would have caused long delays at check in counters and baggage, as well as aircraft maintenance.

Following negotiations, the union has cancelled the industrial action to "avoid the collapse of El Prat," at one of the busiest periods of the year for travelers.

"Although all of the demands have not been accepted, we have achieved improvements thanks to the pressure carried out by the workforce and the threat of strike action," said the UGT communique.

Meanwhile, a strike by security personnel at Madrid's Barajas Airport due to be held between Dec. 21 and Jan. 8 has been temporarily suspended by a judge.

A similar strike by security personnel in Barcelona over the summer caused long delays until Civil Guards were brought in to help ease queues. Enditem