Copa workers threaten Christmas strike

Over 1,400 Copa Airlines workers at Panama's Tocumen  airport, are threatening strike at the height of the Christmas rush.

They are are members of the National Union of Aviation Industry Workers which accuses Copa of firing 14 employees without cause and creating an increasingly difficult work environment.

Union leader Edgar Diaz filed a notice of the intent to strike starting 6 a.m. December 23 with the Ministry of Labor. In October, the union filed a complaint against the airline specifying 11 points of contention. So far, only four of them have been addressed.

Pay is not one of the issues but transportation for workers who finish late at night is

Airline officials have called the strike decision "irresponsible” and say services and operations will not be interrupted and all flights will be available.
Both sides have scheduled a series of meetings through Dec. 22 to try to reach an agreement.