Problems and solutions
He indicated that the root of this problem lies in the working day that the controllers enjoy: one in each three hours of their work is considered as overtime, for which they are paid at three times the basic rate.
He stressed that "if all workers in our country were paid three times the rate for one in three hours of work, there would not be one single company that could withstand it". And yet this is what happens with our air traffic control service.
Mr. José Blanco stated that the regulation approved today provides for an ordinary working day for the controllers under the same conditions as their European counterparts, and limits the number of overtime hours allowed by the Workers Statute.
The second problem is related to the management and organisation of the public service of air traffic control.
According to the Law, this has to be the responsibility of AENA, but in reality this is not the case. He said that currently it is the controllers themselves who exercise the legal authority to manage and organise this public service, according to their own criteria and to suit themselves.
The Royal Decree-Law returns the responsibility for organising and managing to the company providing the service. Furthermore, it eliminates the "incomprehensible privilege" of the controllers who can retire at age 52 and still collect their full salary.
Furthermore, to avoid the inflexibility in the management of the service, the Royal Decree-Law opens up the possibility that control operations for take-offs and landings at airports with a very low volume of traffic can be made through the Aerodrome Flight Information Service, AFIS. "This is far more efficient economically and equally safe", according to the Minister.
The regulation also opens up the possibility that the provision of air traffic services can be carried out by operators other than AENA, while maintaining it as a public service. José Blanco reiterated that "the State will continue to be the service owner, even though there may be more than one operating company".
New negotiations
The Minister of Public Works added that the Government is keeping the way open for dialogue and agreement, and has therefore given instructions to AENA management in order for the negotiations to be immediately reopened under the new principles established by the Decree-Law.
The Government is confident that all parties will share in the responsibility "so that this final agreement can be possible and positive", he said.
The Royal Decree-Law has to be accepted by the Congreso de los Diputados [Lower House of Parliament]. Hence, José Blanco has spoken with all parliamentary spokespersons this morning, amongst whom "there was a unanimous feeling about the need to tackle" the situation.