Baggage handlers and check-in staff strike threat
07.07.09
Airport workers look ‘almost certain’ to strike after bosses continued to refuse to pay an agreed salary increase, the Post reports. Swissport has told its Birmingham Airport workers that they ‘do not have the money’ for the pay increases. Its staff at Stansted and Manchester airports have already started the formal process for industrial action, with a ballot planned for the next few weeks.
Check-in staff and baggage handlers employed by Swissport are angry about a 2.75% pay increase has not been honoured. The two-year deal was agreed last year and staff salaries should have increased from April 1. The same deal was agreed with staff across the country, including at Gatwick, Heathrow, Stansted, Manchester, Glasgow and Newcastle.
John Partridge, regional secretary at Unite, told the newspaper: ‘This has not been resolved and it’s looking almost certain that the legal process to ballot for industrial action will be started. I have spoken to our representative at Birmingham Airport and he said there seemed to be little alternative but to start the process.'
‘This two-year deal was agreed last year and should have started in April. We sent the company a formal letter, which asked them to come up with the cash, but as far as I know they have not responded. We went out to the members to see if they would support the industrial action and they said yes.’
A Swissport spokesman said: ‘A minimum increase of 2.75% was agreed. However, the subsequent economic events were not foreseen. We have invited the union to join with us in seeking ways to increase revenue and productivity and reduce costs to fund these improvements.’
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