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Comarca de Llevant i Migjorn › Sant Joan

Swissport faces strikes at Son Sant Joan over wages and hiring

Swissport workers at Son Sant Joan begin partial strikes over low wages and precarious hiring during the peak summer season.

Joan FerràJoan Ferrà· · 2 min read
AIIllustrative image: a worn work glove on the asphalt of an airport runway at sunset.
Illustrative image: a worn work glove on the asphalt of an airport runway at sunset.

Swissport employees at Palma airport begin partial strikes this Tuesday. They denounce low wages and precarious hiring.

Workers from the handling company Swissport at Son Sant Joan airport have initiated a series of partial strikes this Tuesday to demand better wages and more stable hiring. The union representative from Comisiones Obreras, Carmen Martínez, explained that the company has shown no interest in negotiating, even after going to the Arbitration Tribunal.

The protests, which started today, July 28, will continue on August 1, 4, and 8, during two time slots: from seven in the morning to noon and from seven to ten in the evening. These mobilisations will affect handling operations at Mallorca's main airport infrastructure during the peak tourist season.

The main demand is economic. According to Martínez, Swissport employees' wages are lower than those of other companies in the sector for similar positions. Furthermore, they claim that the company has absorbed bonuses and has not applied the rise in the CPI, which has reduced the purchasing power of the workforce.

Another critical point is the precariousness in hiring. CCOO points out that turnover is high, as many workers leave the company due to poor conditions and low wages, which make it difficult to cope with the high cost of living in Mallorca. Martínez emphasised that only one in five employees has a permanent contract.

This lack of stable personnel translates into a greater workload for the employees who remain, especially in summer when the volume of flights surges. This is compounded by high temperatures on the runways and a lack of adequate preventive measures, according to the union.

Swissport is one of the main ground handling companies at Palma airport, managing dozens of airlines. The company has not made any public statements regarding the conflict so far. The partial strikes, if there are no advances in negotiations, could intensify in the coming weeks, warn CCOO.

For travellers passing through Son Sant Joan, the recommendation is to check with their airline about the status of flights, although the strikes do not directly affect safety or air traffic control operations. The union has called on the company to resume dialogue to avoid a prolonged conflict that could harm all parties.

Joan Ferrà

Written by

Joan Ferrà

Redactor

Ciencias Políticas por la Universitat de les Illes Balears y veterano de los plenos isleños. Mallorquín de secano, cafetero y con paciencia para la burocracia balear; lleva años contando la política y la sociedad de la isla.

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