[August 22nd 2008]
A Strike at Gatwick airport that could have caused travel chaos on Bank Holiday Monday has been averted thanks to last minute negotiations.
The strikes planned for Manchester airport on August 27th and September 1st have also been called off while negotiations continue. However, Stansted airport is still likely to be hit by a strike by baggage screening staff on Bank Holiday Monday.
Baggage handling and check in staff at Gatwick, Stansted and Manchester airports employed by airport services company Swissport have suspended strike action while their union, Unite, holds a new ballot. As well as the 24 hour strike on Monday, further 24 hour strikes were also planned at Gatwick and Stansted on Friday August 29th.
"Following intensive negotiations through the arbitration and conciliation service ACAS, Swissport have tabled a revised pay offer for baggage handlers and check-in staff," Unite said in a press statement. Swissport workers had previously rejected a 3% pay offer. The result of the new ballot is expected shortly.
Swissport was recently named Global Aviation Ground Services Company 2008 by the Institute of Transport Management. The company has about 300 staff at Gatwick and Manchester airports who are members of the Unite union. At Gatwick 72% of Unite members voted for strike action, while at Manchester airport the vote in favour of striking was reported to be 103 to 2.
The baggage screening workers at Stansted, who are still due to strike on Bank Holiday Monday, are employed by Airfield Services and are members of the GMB union. They screen baggage for airlines including easyJet and Ryanair at Stansted. So far they have only been offered a pay rise of 1.5%, but are asking for a 5% rise amounting to 21p per hour.
"GMB has had no approach from the company so it looks to me that Airfield Services are happy to see disruption of the travelling public on Monday to save this amount of money to low paid, vital workers who should have had their pay rise on January 1st this year," says GMB organiser, Gary Pearce.
Written by: Nick Purdom
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