Spain tourism body seeks end to air strike threat

Spain's travel companies association urged air traffic controllers on Saturday to accept a government offer of arbitration to avoid a strike that could wreak economic havoc at the height of the tourist season. Talks between Spain's airport authority AENA and the USCA union over pay and working conditions broke down late on Friday, raising the possibility of a strike this month in the world's second largest tourist destination country.
"If no agreement is reached between the two parties in the next few hours, we demand the unions accept AENA's offer of arbitration and immediately call off the air strike threat," Exceltur, which groups Spain's major hotel chains, travel agents, tour operators and airlines, said in a statement. The USCA said it remained open to negotiations, which broke down after two days of talks between the two sides.