In October 2011, Iberia decided to launch a new subsidiary - Iberia Express - employing new pilots outside of Iberia mainline Collective Labour Agreement. It did so even though SEPLA – the Spanish pilots’ association – had made alternative proposals which would have saved more money than the setting up of a new subsidiary. Once the company started flying in March, SEPLA reacted to Iberia’s deliberate attempt to split the pilots of a same airline group. Following a four-month industrial conflict, the Spanish Government intervened to arbitrate the disagreement – a step that had been welcome by the pilots. However, it seems that Iberia does not want to respect the arbitration.

The outcome of the arbitration is categorical: Iberia has the right to create a new company, but equally Iberia mainline pilots have the right to work for this new company – as in any subsidiary that might be created in future. 

However, while both parties lost in this arbitration, Iberia’s management now tries to escape from its obligations. It is clear that this conflict has hurt the pilots’ terms and conditions, and the arbitration comes with a range of concessions that require a considerable increase of their productivity. But pilots are ready to accept this. In contrast, the company has decided to deny its loss and continues to hire pilots outside the scope of the arbitration resolution.

This blatant breach of the arbitration’s outcome is irresponsible. It shows that pilots will have to continue their fight. But they are well prepared: during the entire conflict they have been standing altogether, showing their unity against this attempt to split them. They will continue to do so, to ensure that not only the pilots but both parties stick to what the arbitration imposed on them.