Iberia pilots to hold off on strike

• Tweet

MADRID, March 14 (UPI) -- A spokeswoman for Iberia said the Spanish airline had averted a pilots strike, having reached an interim settlement with its union.

Although the union, Sepla, did not issue a comment, the airline spokeswoman said the two sides had agreed to have a mediator facilitate their negotiations.

ThinkSpain said the agreement was announced Monday with representatives from the Employment and Social Security Ministries on hand.

Pilots had previously released a schedule of 24-hour strikes. They had planned on 24 of those job actions to take place between March 16 and May 28.

The union is seeking job protection.

A discount airline, Iberia Express, is scheduled to begin service March 25. Pilots fear the new low-cost airline will cost them thousands of jobs, ThinkSpain reported.