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Spanish air controllers call fresh strikes

Spanish air traffic controllers have set fresh 12-hour strikes on September 26 and October 3 in protest at disciplinary sanctions by authorities.

The USCA union said overnight Monday the stoppages would occur between 0400 and 1600 GMT on both days as their members resume protests which affected thousands of travellers during four days of strikes in June and July.

The strikes are in sympathy with 61 Barcelona-based controllers who had sanctions imposed after they were accused of paralysing airspace over the city during a protest in 2010 that left 200,000 passengers stranded.

On that occasion, airport controllers accused 175 controllers of collectively abandoning their posts — but 20 of 22 labour tribunals ruled they had neither disobeyed their employers nor abandoned their posts, according to USCA.

The union issued a statement saying it was ready to talk to Enaire, the public corporation managing air navigation in Spain.