The island director of the State Administration, Marcial Martín, revealed yesterday after a formal meeting held with the president of the Cabildo, Inés Rojas, that he has already contacted the national and regional management of Spanish Airports and Air Navigation (AENA), with the intention of mediating and seeking solutions to the indefinite strike of Iberia workers who provide handling services at Lanzarote airport.
"I fear that the capabilities of the airport director may be limited, and we are acting at the level of the Canary Islands and the State," he commented.
Martín was a key player in the solution of two recent labor conflicts that also affected the normal operation of the aerodrome. Last summer, he mediated between AENA and air traffic controllers, and three months ago he intervened to put an end to the strike of airport cleaners contractually linked to the company Initial. "If the Iberia workers want it that way, we, like the Cabildo, are willing to mediate," said the State representative on the Island.
Marcial Martín stressed that a tourist destination like Lanzarote cannot have constant strikes at its gateway, and defended the interests of the Island above any particular inclination. Martín respects the workers' right to strike, therefore, he has offered to mediate in the disagreement.
Security in Guacimeta
The strikers reported that last week they were expelled from the workplace by the Civil Guard. Marcial Martín said that he has informed that Security Corps that the rights of workers must be strictly respected, but also warned that airport security regulations must be obeyed.
"The airport is possibly the most strategic place on the Island and we have the need to comply with and enforce security regulations," he said. In addition, he recalled that the Central Government, after the London attacks, decreed maximum alert throughout the national territory.
The spokesman for the Iberia Strike Committee, León Fajardo, stressed that airport security must function 365 days a year. Therefore, he does not understand how on a Thursday, a strike day, employees are prevented from accessing the workplace, while on a Friday, a day when there is no protest, they are allowed to pass without any restriction.
"Violation of trade union freedom"
"What is clear is that the exceptional security measures are only for strike days," said the union leader, who recalled that the Lanzarote Labor Inspectorate has already warned of the violation of trade union freedom.
The Strike Committee reiterated that it is willing to sit down and talk with Iberia and with any public administration that wants to mediate in favor of a satisfactory solution. "We believe that if Iberia does not receive pressure, the conflict will be prolonged," concluded Fajardo.
The Cabildo of Lanzarote has proposed that the parties directly or indirectly involved in the Iberia labor conflict sit down to negotiate with the aim of reaching an agreement that ends the indefinite strike of workers who provide services on the ground.
Meeting with the Airport Director
To this end, representatives of the Corporation met this Monday with the Strike Committee, yesterday they did so with the island director and today they will do so with the airport director.
Last night the cancellation of a flight from Oslo, the BLX272, was planned because the estimated time of arrival was eleven o'clock at night, and at that time there is no staff to attend to the services on the ground. When flights arriving after eleven are not canceled, passengers have to claim their luggage the next day.
Productive meeting
On the other hand, Marcial Martín and Inés Rojas agreed yesterday to jointly take the pressing needs of the Island to the different public administrations. One of the main objectives will be to present the demands to the ministries so that they are considered in the budgets for the year 2006.
The island director and the president of the Cabildo announced a list of issues, among which are: the Border Inspection Post (PIF), the cruise ship dock for Arrecife, infrastructures framed in the National Hydrological Plan and the security of the Castle of San José.
