950 workers who are members of the Unite union are set to take eight days of strike action at Gatwick Airport beginning later this month in a dispute over pay. The workers are employed by four companies: ASC, Menzies Aviation, GGS and DHL Services Ltd. All four companies conduct outsourced operations for major airlines primarily undertaking ground handling, baggage handling, ramp agent, dispatchers and check-in agents roles.
The dispute is over pay with the Unite union saying that the majority are paid on average under £12.00 an hour, “despite undertaking highly demanding and safety-critical roles”.
The workers will strike initially for four days beginning on Friday 28 July ending on Tuesday 1 August. Then a further four days from Friday 4 August until Tuesday 8 August.
The airlines affected include: British Airways, Easyjet, Ryanair, TUI, Westjet and Wizz.
In addition to the four companies where an industrial action mandate has already been secured, Unite is also balloting its members at DHL Gatwick Direct, Red Handling and Wilson James. All three ballots will close on Monday 31 July if workers vote for industrial action, the strikes in these companies could begin by the middle of next month.
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “Our members at Gatwick Airport undertake incredibly demanding roles and are essential to keeping the airport and airlines working, yet their employers somehow think it is acceptable to pay them a pittance.
“As part of Unite’s unyielding focus on the jobs, pay and condition of its members the union has drawn a line in the sand and is committed to eradicating the scourge of low pay at the airport.”
Heathrow has successfully managed to keep running in the face of strikes but given the sheer numbers at Gatwick and the smaller operation, it is hard to see how some disruption is not inevitable. I can see airlines asking or mandating flying hand baggage only. British Airways outsourced its ground operations at Gatwick to a separate company in 2020 during Covid.
Birmingham update
I recently wrote about a potential indefinite strike from 10 August at Birmingham in this article. Unite Union has challenged the decision to allow agency workers to be used in strikes through a judicial review coordinated by the TUC. The government decided to reverse the ban on employers hiring agency workers during strike action in July 2022,
The High Court has today upheld the unions’ judicial review. The 2022 amendment to the regulations has now been quashed due to the government’s failure to consult prior to implementing their proposals, as required by legislation.
This means that during strikes such as at Birmingham, the airport will not be able to hire agency workers to keep the airport running.
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