Ryanair Ground Staff Strike Expands to Canary Islands
The UGT union has extended its strike action against Ryanair’s ground handling services to all Spanish bases, including Tenerife South and Lanzarote airports, starting August 15. The labor dispute centers on worker sanctions and alleged abuse of overtime hours.
Strike Schedule and Affected Airports
Strikes at Azul Handling, Ryanair’s ground services subsidiary, will take place August 15-17, then continue every Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday through December 31, 2025. The action will occur during three daily time slots: 5-9 AM, 12-3 PM, and 9 PM-midnight. All 12 Spanish Ryanair bases will be affected, including Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia, Sevilla, Málaga, Alicante, Ibiza, Palma de Mallorca, Girona, Tenerife South, Lanzarote, and Santiago.
Union Demands and Worker Grievances
FeSMC-UGT, the aviation sector union, attempted mediation through Spain’s Interconfederal Mediation and Arbitration Service (SIMA) before calling the strike. They accuse Azul Handling of precarious working conditions and violating basic labor rights. Workers face 36-day suspensions without pay for refusing voluntary overtime. José Manuel Pérez Grande, federal secretary of FeSMC-UGT, states the company systematically ignores union demands while pressuring staff.
Growing Labor Dispute
This nationwide action follows a previous strike limited to Madrid’s Barajas Airport. UGT demands Azul Handling withdraw sanctions, comply with joint committee rulings, and begin meaningful negotiations to improve conditions for over 3,000 affected workers across Spain. The union holds the company solely responsible for the disruptions, citing its “reckless treatment of staff.”
