Staff employed on a contract to operate check-in services for Easyjet at Stansted airport have called off a series of strikes after voting to accept a pay deal.
Unite members employed by Stobart Aviation Services has been due to stage 17 days of walk-outs, one of which was due to start in the early hours of tomorrow morning (2 August) as Stansted went into the busy summer holiday season, but all strikes have been cancelled after agreeing to a new pay deal.
According to the union, the agreement will see the majority of check-in staff receive a 13 per cent pay rise starting from April 2019. Stobart Aviation Services has also said it will recognise Unite as a trade union for collective bargaining purposes.
Unite regional officer Mark Barter said: “I am pleased to say that our members have voted to accept a new pay deal... As a result, all the planned strike action has been called off and our members will be working normally assisting passengers in getting away on their summer holidays.
“Our members got a 3 per cent pay rise in April and will now get a further increase which equates to 10 per cent for the vast majority of our members with immediate effect, so this will mean an increase of 13 per cent this year. Fresh pay talks start again in April 2020, so this is only a single-year deal. We have also gained a full recognition agreement covering both front of house and backroom staff, which means Unite can represent them for trade union collective bargaining purposes.
“Finally, I would like to pay tribute to the solidarity and courage our members have shown during the past weeks. This package represents what can be achieved if you stick together under the banner of a trade union – it is an excellent result for our members.”