I thought that I should quickly you give a round-up to my previous posts on the air traffic controller’s strike in Spain and the potential for a forthcoming Xmas pilot’s strike in Spain.
Firstly, the pilot’s strike in Spain has been put off from the Christmas period so, if you are thinking of having Christmas in Spain, you should not have problems with your flights. However, this does not mean that there will not be a pilot’s strike in Spain after Christmas. Currently, negotiations are under way between the pilot’s union (SEPLA) and the Ministry of Fomento (business).
As to the air traffic controller’s strike in Spain and the subsequent Spanish State of Alert, you may be curious to learn about some facts that I picked up from Levante newspaper today.
According to IATA (the international association of air transport), the air traffic controller’s strike in Spain cost something like $100 million – with a total economic impact of $300 million! The Director General of IATA (Giovanni Bisignian) has, understandably called the Spanish air traffic controller’s strike ‘…a madness and irresponsible…’
Interestingly, Levante had managed to get hold of Spanish air traffic controller’s pay check. It showed that the Spanish air traffic controller concerned was paid (gross) some 30,000 Euros a month! Evidently, half of the Spanish air traffic controllers earn over 270,000 Euros a year, 185 more than 450,000 Euros a year and two – more than 630,000 Euros a year!
These are colossol sums given that over 20% of the working population of Spain are unemployed and that a large percentage are milleuristas (they take home only 1,000 euros a month!). There can be litle surprise, therefore, at the fury of the Spanish people at the Spanish air traffic controller’s strike and the Spanish government’s brutal suppression of it by declaring a unique State of Alert in Spain.
As I have stated before, given the tough action of the Spanish government concerning the Spanish air traffic controllers – I cannot see the Spanish pilot’s strike in Spain happening. However, watch this space – as the Spanish air traffic controllers certainly showed how completely mad some professionals can be and how they can totally misjudge the mood of a country…
RELEVANT INFO: Pilot’s strike in Spain and air controller’s strike in Spain
Just add a couple of points to get ATC wages in context. Firstly when discussing or advertising salaries for jobs in Spain, we always talk about net rather gross, i.e., after all deductions (unlike the UK when salary discussions is always Gross, i.e., before tax & NI). Secondly, the average salary in Spain is €20,000 per annum (Net) so these lunatics earn in one month what an average person earns in 1 year. And people moan about Bankers salaries!