MADRID, Aug 8 (Reuters) - Spain's air traffic controllers should accept the government's offer to settle the conflict over pay and working conditions by arbitration to avoid a strike, Public Works Minister Jose Blanco said on Sunday.
Until the USCA union, representing the air traffic controllers, responds to the proposal by airports authority AENA, the government is under no obligation to return to the negotiating table, Blanco told Spanish radio.
"We can't continue to go around and around this matter at the negotiating table," Blanco said.
"We (the government) proposed calling in an arbitrator to find a solution but this was not accepted. They (the air traffic controllers) need to respond to our offer first before we are under any obligation to take another decision," he added.
Talks between AENA and USCA broke down late on Friday, raising the possibility of a strike this month in the world's second largest tourist destination country.
The USCA union said it hopes talks will be resumed but will decide on Thursday whether to go ahead with strike action.
"We hope the talks will be resumed, but if not, our executive committee will meet on Thursday and consider the situation, including possible strike action. The decision will probably be announced on Friday," a spokesperson said.
The timetable means no flight before Aug. 22 will be affected, as airline sector labour action must be announced at least 10 days in advance, El Pais newspaper said.
AENA and the USCA union had been expected to reach an agreement by Friday, after which AENA said it would aim to settle the matter through arbitration.