Mexico Air Traffic Controllers to File Strike Notice July 1

Mexico’s National Union of Air Traffic Controllers (SINACTA) will file a formal strike notice with Mexico’s Federal Court of Conciliation and Arbitration (TFCA) on July 1 after the Ministry of Finance and Public Credit (SHCP) failed to respond within the deadline it had requested to address salary-related grievances. At the same time, air traffic controllers will stop working overtime, a measure the union warns could lead to operational restrictions at some control facilities as Mexico prepares for increased aviation demand associated with the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Alfredo Covarrubias Aguilar, secretary general, SINACTA, said controllers have reached the limit of their capacity after months of extended work schedules and the absence of a government response. The union said controllers will continue working their regular shifts but will no longer accept overtime assignments because accumulated fatigue has become unsustainable. "As of July 1, many controllers will stop working overtime," Covarrubias said. "A station could eventually be closed or operate under restrictions."

According to the union, SHCP requested the month of June to review salary adjustments and compensation issues affecting air traffic controllers. When the deadline expired without an official response, SINACTA decided to proceed with the next legal step in the labor dispute. 

Covarrubias said controllers have continued supporting aviation operations despite staffing shortages and increased workloads driven by higher traffic volumes.

"The controllers will cover their regular schedules, but they will no longer work overtime because the fatigue is considerable. They have accumulated many extraordinary shifts," he said. "We have continued supporting operations, especially now with the World Cup, as activity has increased at the Mexico Control Center, Toluca, Guadalajara, and Monterrey."

The union said rising flight activity has increased workloads while preventing personnel from completing mandatory recurrent training because they remain assigned to operational duties.

Despite ongoing discussions with federal authorities regarding additional budget allocations and new hiring, SINACTA said negotiations have failed to resolve salary concerns or staffing shortages.

"We have held meetings with SHCP regarding resources for new personnel," Covarrubias said. "However, openness to dialogue does not mean we will abandon the pressure measures necessary, always through legal channels, to uphold the responsibility that characterizes our profession."

The union reiterated that filing a strike notice does not automatically trigger a work stoppage but instead initiates the legal process intended to compel negotiations between the government and organized labor. "If we do not receive a response from SHCP, we will go to the Federal Court of Conciliation and Arbitration to formally file the strike notice and await the authority's decision," Covarrubias said.

Under Mexico's labor framework, the process begins with the filing of a strike notice, followed by a conciliation period. The president of the Federal Court of Conciliation and Arbitration ultimately determines whether a strike can legally proceed if negotiations fail. SINACTA emphasized that its objective remains reaching an agreement rather than disrupting aviation services.

The salary dispute adds pressure to an aviation system already facing structural operational challenges. According to SINACTA, Mexico has approximately 1,000 certified air traffic controllers, while the system requires at least 1,500 to adequately manage current traffic volumes. The shortage has forced many controllers to work repeated overtime shifts to sustain daily operations.

The union has consistently argued that prolonged overtime increases fatigue and limits opportunities for mandatory recurrent training, creating additional operational risks as flight volumes continue to grow.

Mexico's metropolitan airspace has also become more complex following the integration of multiple airports operating within the same airspace, including Mexico City International Airport (AICM), Felipe Ángeles International Airport (AIFA), Toluca International Airport, Puebla International Airport, Cuernavaca Airport, and other regional facilities.

The Airline Pilots Association of Mexico (ASPA) has publicly backed SINACTA's position. "Aviation safety is not built solely from a cockpit, but also from every tower and control center in the country," ASPA said in a statement.

The pilots' union added that air traffic controllers require "dignified working conditions, adequate training, and the necessary institutional support" to safely manage Mexico's airspace. 

Over the weekend, SINACTA released a public message on social media highlighting the role controllers play in maintaining aviation safety while urging federal authorities to fulfill their commitments. "Every flight arriving in Mexico passes through our hands. We are the air traffic controllers who keep the skies safe," the union said.

The organization noted that it honored its commitment to maintain safe operations throughout June despite receiving no response from SHCP. "The Ministry of Finance asked for June to respond to our requests. June ended without a response. We kept our word, and operations remained safe," the union said.

SINACTA also appealed directly to President Claudia Sheinbaum to intervene. "Those who protect Mexico's skies deserve a response," the union said. "We fulfilled our commitment to safety. We ask that SHCP fulfill its commitment as well."

Covarrubias concluded that the union's priority remains protecting aviation safety while securing compliance with workers' labor rights.

As of publication, SHCP and the Ministry of Infrastructure, Communications and Transportation (SICT) had not issued a formal response regarding the union's salary demands or the planned strike notice.