MALLORCA TODAY - Airport strikes' negotiations break down

Negotiations between the Spanish national airports authority AENA and the unions representing workers who might face job losses as a consequence of the planned partial privatisation of Spain's airports have broken down this evening without agreement. As things stand, therefore, the threat of strikes, starting on 20 April and lasting during the summer, remains. AENA has given the unions a proposal to study further. One of the main issues for the unions would appear to be the future management of Madrid and Barcelona airports.

MALLORCA TODAY - Unions meet with AENA

Representatives of three unions - the CCOO, UGT and USO - are now meeting with AENA officials at the airport authority's headquarters. This is the first meeting between the two sides since the unions announced their intention to strike on 22 days through the tourism season. The minister for development (which includes transport), José Blanco, appears confident that the strikes will not go ahead.

The morning's meeting broke up without agreement, the unions expressing displeasure with the fact that there was no representative from the development ministry and that the president of AENA was present for only a quarter of an hour.

The parties are due to sit down again at 17.00 this afternoon.