Mexico Air Traffic Controllers Continue Strike Process: SINACTA

Mexico’s air traffic controllers said they expect progress on salary and operational demands after meetings with federal authorities, while maintaining a permanent assembly and keeping a potential strike process active. The Sindicato Nacional de Controladores de Tránsito Aéreo (SINACTA) confirmed it will hold monthly meetings with the Ministry of Infrastructure, Communications and Transportation (SICT) and weekly meetings with Mexico’s Air Navigation Services (SENEAM).

José Alfredo Covarrubias Aguilar, secretary general, SINACTA, said the union remains in negotiations with the government following meetings with Tania Carro Toledo, deputy minister of Communications and Transportation; Bertha Gómez, deputy minister of Expenditures at the Ministry of Finance (SHCP); officials from the Federal Civil Aviation Agency (AFAC); and SENEAM executives.

“We are waiting for them to call us and inform us,” Covarrubias said. “We continue working under protest, we remain in permanent assembly, and we remain firm in our demands, but we also have the commitment not to affect anyone and to do our work as best as possible.”

The labor dispute centers on salary reductions, staffing shortages, overtime payments and operational safety concerns. According to SINACTA, air traffic controllers in Mexico have experienced a 30% loss in real wages in recent months. The union also said the country currently employs approximately 1,050 controllers but requires more than 500 additional personnel to meet operational safety standards.

Covarrubias said the union has spent more than 18 months warning authorities about staffing deficits and working conditions. Although the Ministry of Finance authorized the hiring of 139 new controllers in 2025, the union stated that the employees have not yet been integrated into payroll systems or provided with social security benefits. SINACTA also reported that at least 19 controllers are currently operating without the legal appointments required by law.

The union said the deputy minister of Expenditures requested additional time until June to complete the National Salary Plan project for the federal government, which includes the controllers’ salary review. Covarrubias said the union would wait for a formal response before deciding on further actions.

“We have confidence and hope they do not fail us,” Covarrubias said. “In December, the Interior Ministry asked us not to march or demonstrate and to sit down and negotiate, and we complied. Since there was no progress, our members requested that we file a strike notice, and we are managing that process.”

SINACTA entered a permanent assembly phase in May, a step toward a formal strike process. The union warned that if authorities fail to comply with agreements reached during negotiations, it will coordinate with the Federal Court of Conciliation and Arbitration to establish a strike date and determine the percentage of personnel assigned exclusively to essential operations.

Operational conditions at SENEAM have also become part of the negotiations. Union representatives said controllers continue to work extended shifts, sometimes reaching 30 consecutive hours, while lacking training in updated technologies and procedures.

“90% of the facilities where we work do not have the necessary conditions to operate,” said controller Ulises Orozco during the union assembly.

The Airline Pilots Association of Mexico (ASPA) expressed support for SINACTA, stating that “aviation safety is not built solely from a cockpit, but also from every tower and control center in the country.” ASPA added that controllers require “dignified conditions, adequate training, and the necessary institutional support” to manage Mexico’s airspace safely.

Separately, SENEAM faces legal and operational pressure linked to an embargo on 834 computer systems due to unpaid debts with suppliers dating back to 2021. A court order issued in January 2024 instructed the agency to settle the debt or return the equipment, raising concerns over operational continuity ahead of increased air traffic related to the 2026 FIFA World Cup.