Union Alerts Over Critical Staffing Shortages at Saerco Managed Towers
The company is reportedly cancelling leave and holidays to cover the lack of air traffic controllers
The Union of Air Traffic Controllers (USCA) has raised concerns regarding the critical situation at the towers operated by Saerco due to a shortage of staff. The company is cancelling permits and holidays and altering shifts in an attempt to cope with the lack of controllers, which poses a significant risk to safety.
The affected airports include Sevilla, Jerez, Cuatro Vientos, Vigo, A Coruña, La Palma, Lanzarote, Fuerteventura, and El Hierro. Some, such as Jerez, have been on the verge of closure due to insufficient operational personnel.
Economic Difficulties Leading to Staffing Reductions
USCA attributes the issue to the economic challenges faced by Saerco, which has acknowledged its inability to meet legal requirements. The union is calling on the Ministry of Transport to take urgent measures and is demanding that Enaire temporarily assume management responsibilities.
The situation is particularly dire in Jerez, which nearly faced closure last Tuesday due to personnel shortages. The number of controllers at this centre has dropped from the expected thirteen to just nine active staff members, three of whom were unavailable due to leave and medical sick leave, leaving only six operational professionals.
The union believes that this decrease in staff is a direct result of the financial difficulties experienced by Saerco, which has admitted in court that it cannot comply with the conditions set forth by the Binding Arbitration Award.
Calls for Immediate Action
Consequently, USCA is demanding the suspension of the company’s certification and that Enaire takes over the management of these towers on a temporary basis.
Simultaneously, the union urges the Ministry of Transport and Sustainable Mobility to adopt urgent measures to ensure safety and service continuity, as well as to protect the working conditions of employees. “The situation requires immediate action from the competent authority.”
