Airport strike suspended as government calls for negotiation meeting

Updated Friday 1:45 p.m. Airport workers suspended the 24-hour strike that was planned for Monday after the government called a negotiation meeting to reach a solution with the National Civil Aviation Administration (ANAC, by its Spanish initials).  The protest was expected to cause delays and cancellations in flights scheduled to depart that day. The strike had been planned by airport healthcare workers, firefighters, inspectors, administrative staff and land control personnel employed by the ANAC who are under the State Workers Association union (ATE). As a sign of goodwill, we have decided to suspend the 24-hour strike planned for Monday, trusting that the meeting will provide an opportunity to sort out the conflict, the union said in a statement on Friday. They added that they will reassess potential measures after the meeting. The planned protest The union had originally planned the strike for last Monday, February 2, to protest ANACs delay in salary payments. The action was rescheduled to February 9 after wages were paid without an increase that had been previously agreed to, ATE has said. The union was willing to call off the measure if that pay raise was transferred. Since airport activities are considered essential, strikes must be announced with a minimum five days notice, and at least half the services must remain operational. The national government was initially expected to intervene by issuing what is known as a mandatory conciliation period, in which industrial actions are immediately suspended to encourage unions and employers to continue negotiating and reach an agreement.  Although the national authorities did not issue a mandatory conciliation period, the call for a meeting between ATE and ANAC was enough for the union to call off the strike. The authorities know that it is not enough just to pay the salaries, they must also pay the increase that was agreed, ATE leader Rodolfo Aguiar said in a statement on Monday.People must know that if airport operations are disrupted, it is solely the responsibility of the government.