An update has been given about strikes which have brought chaos to Spanish airports this Easter, with tensions rising as reports say disciplinary action is being taken against some workers. The strike by workers at the ground handling company Groundforce has caused disruption mainly at the airports in Madrid, Barcelona and Bilbao, with eight cancellations recorded in Barcelona.

In the Canary Islands, the UGT trade union representatives have said that the company has launched a pressure campaign to discourage workers from joiningthe strike by opening disciplinary proceedingsagainst them, Canarias 7 reported. According to Comisiones Obreras Canarias (CCOO), there were significant disruptions to ground handling operations, with more than 40 flights departing without luggage and congestion in the baggage sorting areas, a situation that has also been observed at airports in the Canary Islands.

The strike continues at Groundforce’s ground handling facility, a Globalia group company that provides services to the airports of Madrid, Barcelona, Palma de Mallorca, Alicante, Málaga, Gran Canaria, Valencia, Ibiza, Bilbao, Lanzarote, Fuerteventura, and air cargo in Zaragoza.

The trade union organisation insists that the industrial action is in response to the company’s failure to comply with a collective agreement, particularly regarding the salary adjustment linked to cumulative inflation since 2022.

The Lanzarote Business Confederation (CEL) has expressed its concern over the situation caused by the strike by ground handling staff at Groundforce, which is disrupting airport operations during one of the island’s busiest periods of the year: Easter. In this regard, the business organisation highlights the strategic importance of Lanzarote Airport as a key infrastructure for the island’s connectivity and economic development.

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The dispute takes on a particular significance in the Canary Islands, where air transport is essential for mobility and the economy. The strikes are affecting the airports of Gran Canaria, Lanzarote and Fuerteventura, reports say.

The union stressesthat the industrial action will continue “until progress is made in the negotiations to ensure compliance with the collective agreement and decent working conditions” for the entire workforce. Should this situation persist, the workers are considering continuing the strike indefinitely after Easter.

CEL President Beatriz Salazar complained that “we are at a particularlysensitive time for Lanzarote’s economy, in which stability in airport operations is fundamental to guaranteeing the normal development of tourism and business activity.” She appealed to all parties involved to prevent this conflict from having more serious consequences, Diario de Lanzarote reported.

“At CEL, we advocate for dialogue as a fundamental tool for resolving labour disputes,” she emphasises. “It is essential that the company and its employees find common ground and work on solutions that reconcile labour rights with the guarantee of an essential service for the island,” she stresses.

Salazarexplained that the quality of a tourist destination begins with the visitor’s arrival, so these incidents at the airport can affect the overall perception of Lanzarote.

In this context, CEL highlights the need to strengthen collaboration among businesses, professionals, and public institutions to ensure a stable environment that fosters economic activity and job creation on the island. “We are confident that, through understanding and responsibility, a solution that benefits the entire community can be reached very soon,” she added.