The Spanish air traffic controllers crisis began on December 3, 2010 when the Socialist Government of

José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero (; born 4 August 1960) is a Spanish politician and member of the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE). He was the Prime Minister of Spain being elected for two terms, in the 2004 and 2008 general elections ...

declared rate 0 forcing a National Air Navigation Lock-Out and portraying

air traffic controller Air traffic control specialists, abbreviated ATCS, are personnel responsible for the safe, orderly, and expeditious flow of air traffic in the global air traffic control system. Usually stationed in air traffic control centers and control ...

s in Spanish airports (and in other units) as if they were walking out in a coordinated

wildcat strike The wildcat is a species complex comprising two small wild cat species: the European wildcat (''Felis silvestris'') and the African wildcat (''F. lybica''). The European wildcat inhabits forests in Europe, Anatolia and the Caucasus, while the ...

. Following that lock-out, the

Spanish Government gl, Goberno de España eu, Espainiako Gobernua , image = , caption = Logo of the Government of Spain , headerstyle = background-color: #efefef , label1 = Role , data1 = Executive power , label2 = Established , da ...

authorised the Spanish military forces to escort air traffic controllers in order to continue operations in a total of eight airports, including the country's two main airports, Madrid-Barajas and Barcelona-El Prat. On the morning of December 4, the government declared a 'State of Alert', conscripting the controllers back to work supervised by the military forces and under the military law, instead of the civil law. The move by the Spanish Government came after a year of dispute with the air traffic controllers and the Spanish airport authority

Aena ENAIRE is the air navigation manager in Spain, certified for the provision of en route, approach and aerodrome control services. As a public corporate entity attached to the Spanish Ministry of Public Works, it is responsible for air traffic co ...

over working conditions, work schedules and benefits. According to some sources, air traffic controllers could earn up to 350,000 euros per annum, a claim that has been hotly disputed. This meant that the controllers did not receive much sympathy in Spain. On the same day as the lock-out, the Spanish

Council of Ministers A council is a group of people who come together to consult, deliberate, or make decisions. A council may function as a legislature, especially at a town, city or county/shire level, but most legislative bodies at the state/provincial or natio ...

approved plans to partially privatise Aena. The use of emergency powers was the first time since the restoration of democracy in 1975 that a state of alert had been called. Under the measure, controllers were escorted by armed guards and faced arrest for the crime of disobedience, stipulated in the Spanish military penal code in case of not showing up at work. Some controllers reported to have been forced to work at gunpoint. The use of this measure by the Spanish government has been severely criticised by ATCEUC (

Air Traffic Controllers European Unions Coordination The atmosphere of Earth is the layer of gases, known collectively as air, retained by Earth's gravity that surrounds the planet and forms its planetary atmosphere. The atmosphere of Earth protects life on Earth by creating pressure allowing for ...

) through a press release. And also by judge Juan Antonio Vázquez Taín:

References

{{reflist 2010 in Spain Politics of Spain 2010 labor disputes and strikes Aviation strikes Labour disputes in Spain Air traffic control in Europe

See also

References