Isn't there a EU regulation saying a day off is at least 24 hours +11 hours? Which can be reduced to 8 hours, so to get two consecutive days off it has to be at least 48 + 8 hours (or 11 depending on circumstances)?

What's the weekly workingtime for an ATCO in Spain? And how much overtime do they put in versus how are they paid (extra) for having to work in their time off?

There are a lot of factors that can be at play in a strike condition, and when people strike, it's usually from fatigue, stress, overload and a situation where they feel noone listens to their concerns (not complaints, but concerns, if concerns doesn't gets taken care off, they evolve to complaints, and letting them evolve is poor management, and even worse management is crying about your workforce when it has been allowed to evolve).

But noone want to hurt innocent bystanders, passengers, by striking, but what the heck do they do when noone listens? Controllers take their work serious, and usually don't stay at home to rest when they are assigned a shift.

They weren't so worried when they were coining all the overtime were they?

So isn't it true that Spanish ATCOs took sick-leaves on massive scale, a state of emergency was declared to force them back to work and those who opposed were subject to consequences and a trial?

As far as I know, the reason for this strike in particular has nothing to do with their hours or salary, but with Enaire taking disciplinary measures against ATCOs for the airspace closing back in 2010.

I'm sure they weren't, but the days of ATCOs earning 7 figures salaries in Spain are long gone. All the ones who did saw what was coming and jumped ship before their pensions and t&cs changed. The new controllers are on some of the lowest salaries in Europe now, which wouldn't be so bad except they also work savage hours now with f all leave. We all know they're regarded by pilots as the worst in Europe, how do you think they'll be with all this added fatigue? It's your life in their hands after all.....

Although it is not the regular schedule it is legal and backed up by our union contract (DFS) to have 48hrs off only coming out of the night shift after a 6-day-turn. It doesn´t happen very often and if anyone has a serious problem with it the issue will normally be solved somehow. It´s all a matter of give and take...if you tend to get your four-week holiday in summer you will normally be willing to help out with a short weekend too.

As for the strike: I also fully understand and support the actions of my Spanish colleagues. As far as I was informed the strike is all about supporting one or more individuals who still face disciplinary action by AENA´s successor although a Spanish court has recently ruled the ATCOs did not do anything wrong in the last confrontation.

If 6 on, 2 off, (the first of which is a 'sleep-day) is their roster, I'm 100% with Una.
One full day off in 8 is not acceptable for operational ATC staff.

Blimey, they bear a grudge for a long time, don't they!

Now, look here all you lovely Spanish ATC peeps. Me and Mrs Elpus are on the early morning Easyjet Luton to Alicante flight next Thursday (17th) and we'd be terribly grateful if you don't take any action on that day.

Adios amigo.

To clarify, I'm not an ATCO myself and I don't claim perfect knowledge about the real inside situation at Enaire.
Just my opinions based on all the available information I've seen so far :rolleyes:

Don't feed the trolls... they might bite

For your reading pleasure:

http://www.atceuc.org/uploads/docs/2...015-strike.pdf

There havent been any real dialogue for 6 years

We can work up to 9-1 all year obviously with OT but the employer cannot assign it. Only if we request. 6-2 is a pretty horrible base schedule.

It seems we are going to strike again... or at least try to.

11 & 25 July: 10:00 - 13:00 (local time)
12 & 26 July: 17:00 - 20:00


The reason for the strike is exactly the same as the one before, wrongful sanctions against 61 controllers and requesting re-hire another one. Both issues stem from the conflict from 2010 which is pretty much alive, thank you very much.

This time the strike is planned on weekend unlike the previous one which was intended to be a low intensity warning with minimum harm to both passengers and companies.

Not that this one is intended to be disruptive but rather a rematch on the previous one since we got minimum services close to 100% (officially it was 70% but only non-operative atcos where allowed to join the strike). If the government sticks to the 70% figure there should be some delays and if they increase that it will be a welcome admission that they abused minimum services requirements when we get to challenge them in court.

Ryanair petition here to make ATC strikes illegal:


Keep Europe's Skies Open - Keep Europe Flying

It will be better to tidy up his own home: Ryanair's Danish staff may strike over Irish pay - RTÉ News

Oh, come on!

A bit drastic, but I can appreciate RYR's point of view & sympathize with pax. So,
an understandable suggestion.
However, "letting other ATC agencies manage French airspace during strikes"is a
non-starter. How are you going to get ATCOS validated, & maintain that validation, on French ATC sectors ?

In the link above to the Ryanair organised petition, where is the "I don't agree" option? Surely in a democratic world both opinions should be gathered?

And to be pedantic, this thread is all about the Spanish ATC strike, which IMHO has huge backing of the ATC world, and not about the French repetitive strikes that the Ryanair petition relate to.