Spanish air-traffic controllers call off strike

Spanish air-traffic controllers have called off a 12-hour strike which was called for Sunday after their main union USCA and the public air-traffic company ENARE reached an agreement, media reported on Thursday.

The air-traffic controllers called the strike in the wake of a series of partial stoppages this year, Xinhua news agency reported.

These stoppages had little effect due to the minimum service numbers imposed by the Spanish government's public work's ministry, with passengers suffering hardly noticeable delays.

They were in protest at sanctions handed to 61 controllers in Barcelona, for their part in an unauthorised walkout in December 2010 which left tens of thousands of passengers stranded and which saw the military called in to take over air-traffic control duties.

The union wants the sanctions dropped and the reinstatement of one controller who was sacked from his position in Santiago de Compostela.

Although ENARE has not agreed to these demands, the employers have offered to "unblock the situation," and after meetings on Wednesday night the union agreed to call off the strike.

ENARE issued a communique saying the decision was a "very important step following four months of talks and nine stoppages."

"We will continue to work together to improve air navigation in Spain," ENARE confirmed.