Iberia is suing its pilot and cabin crew union for what it claims are illegal strikes in a bid to stop further disruption.
The Spanish airline today submitted both suits to the Chamber for Social and Labour Matters at the National High Court.
It claims the intermittent strikes by Sepla pilots union- both the 36 called in December and the new 30 strike days expected from April to July – are illegal.
The airline demands damages, currently estimated at more than 3 millions euros per day of strike.
It is filing a similar suit against Stavla, the union representing less than one-third of its cabin staff, for the strikes called last March.
The company gives two main reasons:
– The strike is intended to obstruct a decision taken by the company in the exercise of its legal prerogatives under Article 38 of the Spanish Constitution, and which respects all agreements signed by the company.
– It is an abusive strike, and the latest call for strikes – 24 days in the past and 30 days now – during the peak travel period of Easter Week, Labour Day and Saint Isidro weekend and summer holidays, confirm this.
Iberia claims such strikes have a huge cost for the airline and almost none for the striking pilots.
More than 100 flights have been cancelled on 9 April including Madrid to London due to a pilot strike.
The airline, owned by BA’s parent company International Airlines Group, has been hit with continued industrial action over its plans to create Iberia Express which pilots feared would threaten jobs.
Low cost airline Iberia Express launched on 26 March.
