GSMA Statement on Planned Barcelona Public Transport Strike

LONDON, February 17, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --

The metro and bus workers from TMB, the main public transport operator in the metropolitan area of Barcelona, have announced plans to strike during Mobile World Congress which will be held 27th February through 1st March 2012. 

The GSMA has senior executives in Barcelona and they have been meeting regularly with government officials from the City of Barcelona, Catalonia Regional Government, Spanish Ministry of Industry, the Fira and the various police authorities since the strike was first announced. The GSMA has advised the government authorities that they should do everything to avert the strike and we have been assured that negotiations are ongoing in order to try and resolve the issues.

In the event the parties do not reach agreement, comprehensive contingency plans are in place to ensure that all participants of the Mobile World Congress have unfettered access to and from the Fira during all days of the event. We will announce the details of those contingency plans as necessary should the strike take place. The GSMA remains confident that the issues will be resolved and that there will be little, if any, impact to the Mobile World Congress. 

Further, the Barcelona government has offered the GSMA its strong assurances that Mobile World Congress attendees will not be affected and all participants will be able to arrive and depart the event safely and without disruption. 

About the GSMA

The GSMA represents the interests of mobile operators worldwide. Spanning more than 220 countries, the GSMA unites nearly 800 of the world's mobile operators, as well as more than 200 companies in the broader mobile ecosystem, including handset makers, software companies, equipment providers, Internet companies, and media and entertainment organisations. The GSMA also produces industry-leading events such as the Mobile World Congress and Mobile Asia Expo. 

For more information, please visit the GSMA corporate website at http://www.gsma.com or Mobile World Live, the online portal for the mobile communications industry, at http://www.mobileworldlive.com.