Madrid, Feb 13 (IANS): Spanish airline Iberia will fire around 3,800 workers as part of its cost cutting programme that aims to improve the company's profitability after suffering losses since 2008, Xinhua reported.

Iberia, part of the holding IAG along with Bristish Airways since 2011, said the cost cutting programme will affect around 19 percent of the company's total workforce.

Around 20,000 people currently work for the company.

Of the total number of redundancies, 2,735 land-based workers will be affected by the cost cutting programme, 360 from the airport of Barajas in Madrid.

A further 759 workers from the cabin crew and 313 pilots will be also fired.

The company attributed the decision to losses of "more than 850 million euros ($1.15 billion) between 2008 and September 2012.

In November 2012, Iberia had presented a plan which predicted the loss of 4,500 jobs.

Unions and the company negotiated for around three months without reaching an accord.

Unions have announced 15 days of strike in February-March.

According to the unions, job shedding will last nine months, from March to the end of 2013.