Swissport update on Spanish airports strikes

2013-07-01 — /travelprnews.com/ — Swissport Spain condemns coercion and sabotage allegedly carried out by union militants in Barcelona’s El Prat airport, aimed at intimidating the company´s personnel, which is working in accordance with the minimum services decreed by the Ministry of Public Works and Transport. Swissport demands that the unions CCOO, UGT and USO act with responsibility and immediately return to the negotiating table they unilaterally abandoned.

The strike actions so far have had little effect. There were delays on a number of flights from Spain, to whose passengers Swissport apologizes for the disruptions caused. The incidents occurred when persons not belonging to Swissport staff attempted to menacingly obstruct the free movement of Swissport employees working on the tarmac, the “air side” area of El Prat.

Swissport recognizes the constitutional right to strike. However, the company believes that the strikes initiated by CCOO, UGT and USO are unnecessary and unjustified because the possibility of an agreement was evident on the night of Thursday, June 28.

Swissport again invites CCOO, UGT and USO to return immediately to negotiations while suspending the strikes.

Swissport International Ltd. provides ground services for around 118 million passengers and 3.5 million tonnes of cargo a year on behalf of some 650 client-companies in the aviation sector. With a workforce of around 40,000 personnel, Swissport is active at 180 stations in 37 countries on five continents, and generates annual consolidated operating revenue of CHF 1.9 billion. www.swissport.com

For further information please contact:

Swissport International Ltd.
Corporate Communications
Sabine Meinitz
P.O. Box
CH-8058 Zurich-Airport
+41 43 812 49 69
corporate.communications@swissport.com

Farner Consulting
Kurt Rossi
Oberdorfstrasse 21
CH-8001 Zurich
+41 44 266 67 67
swissport@farner.ch