By Telecom Lead Team: The organizers of the Mobile World
Congress 2012 have warned that there will be strike by metro and bus workers
during the event. Travelers for the largest telecom event in the world need to
prepare.
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,” said GSMA in a press release.
GSMA senior executives are in Barcelona and they have
been meeting 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.
If 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.
GSMA 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.