Spain: Iberia warns striking pilots

MADRID, July 11 (UPI) -- The Spanish airline Iberia Tuesday threatened legal action against striking pilots, saying the work stoppage is costing more than $6 million a day.

If a deal cannot be reached between the company and its aviators, Iberia officials said, they would ask Spanish courts to declare the strike illegal, El Pais reported.

Pilots are upset with Iberia's plans to launch a budget airline, which they contend could cost them their jobs in the future.

Officials for the Spanish airline met with pilot representatives Sunday in an effort to assure them their jobs were not in jeopardy. Those talks failed and the Iberia pilots kicked off their expected weeklong strike at midnight Monday.