Flights grounded at Geneva airport due to staff industrial action
Flights have been canceled at Geneva Airport (GVA) as its staff extended their industrial action in protest to a salary freeze.
The strike at the airport disrupted travel for thousands of passengers on Friday, fueling fresh concern that staff protests amid labor shortages may cause another summer of chaos in European cities, particularly Geneva, which is a hub for diplomats and officials traveling to the United Nations Office at Geneva.
The strike grounded all flights between 6:00 am and 10 am, causing flight delays as well as outright cancellations affecting passengers at both arrivals and departures sections throughout the day, according to airport officials.
Police and security staff were posted in front of the terminal, stopping strikers from flooding inside.
The strike was called after the airport's board approved on Thursday a new wage policy that imposes a freeze on pay increases and is contested by airport staff.
About a hundred employees stood outside the departure area in the airport to protest against the airport's board of directors' newly-approved salary policy.
The Public Services Union, which rejected a proposal by the airport management that could have ended the strike, voted to continue striking for the remainder of Friday and to return to the picket line on Saturday.
A member of the trade union said it was difficult for everybody to understand how they got into this situation.
It is the first-ever strike by staff directly employed by the airport, as opposed to subcontractors, and according to Swiss Airlines includes air traffic controllers as well as those who guide planes along the tarmac.
"In Switzerland, strikes are very rare" as they may be called only after a process of consultations, said Claire Pellegrin, head of the airport staff commission.
"It's the last option that we never thought we'd get to," she added.
Pierre-Yves Maillard, head of the Swiss Trade Union Confederation (USS), said the aviation industry is making a good profit that should be shared with the staff.
"The airport is a profitable business which enjoys a monopoly and is attacking the conditions of its staff," said Maillard from the USS, who turned up at the airport to support the strikers.
Meanwhile, Europe is hit by a wave of strikes and protests amid high energy prices and an unprecedented rise in living costs, compounded by poor pay and long hours as well as other controversial policies by the government.
Flood deaths hit 205 as Spain reels from worst modern day disaster
G7 leaders decide to give $50bn to Ukraine from frozen Russian assets
'Nonsensical’ US request for Italian troops to Palestine
Iran relies on natural gas for nearly 90% of its power production: Expert
US embassy in Beirut blocks Iraq-Lebanon humanitarian air bridge
VIDEO | UK's Starmer targets journalists
Israel plans to displace Palestinians in occupied West Bank: Hamas
Iranian airlines ramp up Istanbul route flights after EU sanctions
British protesters slam UK’s complicity in Gaza genocide on Balfour day
US surgeon haunted by Gaza children with ‘single gunshot wounds to head’
VIDEO | Iran's possible retaliation against Israel
PressTV NEWSLETTER
now
This makes it easy to access the Press TV website
