Strike action is set to take place on Monday (October 28) as British tourists head to Majorca for the first half term of the school year. The planned industrial action is expected to result in travel disruption for those exploring the island via public transport.
Bus drivers in the Spanish island will strike as part of a nationwide action over a lack of agreement in respect of arrangements for early and voluntary retirement.
The Balearic Government has set a 60 percent minimum service for TIB buses. Palma EMT buses are expected to operate at 50 percent.
Services for school routes, however, will run at 60 percent service for school routes at peak times and 100 percent on hospital routes.
Unless an agreement is reached, further strikes are likely later heading into the Christmas holidays.
A nationwide action affecting transport drivers and the freight sector also set to begin on Monday was called off on Thursday (October 25). The unions had originally called for strikes to take place over several days for the next few months. They were to come from transport professionals driving both heavy trucks and smaller vans, including those that deliver orders to homes, potentially causing disruption to Black Friday and Christmas shopping deliveries.
For bus drivers, however, the two main unions were unable to reach an agreement with the Spanish Confederation of Bus Transport (Confebus).
President of the Balearic Transport Federation, Rafel Roig, has expressed major concern over the rapidly decreasing number of drivers in Majorca, claiming the transport sector will have “serious problems” if no change is made. Mr Roig estimated that an additional 200 drivers are currently needed in order to keep the service running at a good level. The situation could get even worse over the next few years as a large number of current drivers are reaching retirement age.
The president of EMT, Palma mobility councillor Toni Deudero, said that unions have called for several days of strike action in November and December.
The next strike is set to take place on November 11, with Black Friday (November 29) among other dates. TIB services may also follow the same schedule.
The strike does not affect other public transport, including trains and the metro.
Elsewhere in Spain, earlier in October baggage handlers threatened to strike, prompting concerns for “chaos” at airports across the country.