Gatwick Airport expecting ‘severe disruption’ as fresh August Bank Holiday strikes announced
Gatwick Airport is facing “severe disruption” with fresh industrial action later this month, as 230 ground handlers and passenger assistance workers will walk out in a feud over pay.
Members of the Unite Union will strike on eight separate days – between Friday 18 August and Monday 21 and Friday 25 and Monday 28 – coinciding with the August Bank holiday weekend.
The workers are employed by Red Handling, a ground handling company and Wilson James, who operate passenger assistance contracts at the airport.
During Red Handling employees’ first four-day strike, Unite said it expects 216 flights to be disrupted or delayed, causing misery for approximately 45,000 passengers.
Airlines affected include Norse Atlantic, Norwegian, Delta, TAP Air Portugal and Saudi.
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “Red Handling and Wilson James need to wake up and smell the coffee, other employers at the airport are prepared to pay the going rate and there is no excuse why they shouldn’t do the same. There is no way our members will accept a real terms pay cut and poverty pay.
“Unite’s complete focus on the jobs, pay and conditions of its members will mean that our members at Gatwick will receive the union’s unflinching support.”
Gatwick has been plagued by strike threats during one of the busiest summers’ of travel on record, but previous Unite action set to disrupt the airport over the last week was cancelled, after workers from DHL, ASC and Menzies accepted an improved pay offer of 10.3 per cent.
The Sussex-hub has also faced disruption from French ATC industrial action, which has caused its primary airline Easyjet to cancel over 1,700 flights already.
Boss Stuart Wingate previously told City A.M . that passengers should be mindful of wait times over the period. “We are mindful that there could be some level of of delay, you know, passengers will have to sort of be a little bit tolerant of those en route delays.”
Unite regional officer Dominic Rothwell said: “The strike action is set to cause severe disruption throughout Gatwick Airport, but this dispute is totally of the employers’ own making, they have been given every opportunity to make our members a fair pay offer but have failed to do so.
“The companies need to stop prevaricating and make an offer which meets our members’ expectations.”