London Stansted airport could be the latest UK transport hub to experience serious disruption as workers are set to vote on taking industrial action in a dispute over pay.
Members of the Unite union have rejected a 7.5 per cent pay offer from the airport, which is part of Manchester Airports Group (MAG). This decision will now be followed by a separate vote on strikes.
If the 1,000-plus workers involved in the dispute, who include security officers, cleaners, firefighters and maintenance staff, vote in favour of industrial action, then strikes could take place from October.
The union said any stoppage by its members would “cause significant disruption or could even close the airport”.
Unite’s general secretary Sharon Graham added: “Stansted and MAG expected our members to make financial sacrifices during the pandemic and they expect them to do the same thing now during the cost of living crisis.
“Everyone is expected to tighten their belts except MAG’s rich executives. Our members won’t stand for it and they will receive Unite’s full support in fighting for a fair pay rise.”
A Stansted spokesperson responded that the airport was “surprised and disappointed” about Unite’s decision to call a strike ballot.
“This is the very same pay offer we agreed with Unite, and which it strongly recommended its members voted in favour of as recently as 20 July,” said the spokesperson.
“We remain fully committed to working with our unions to reach an agreement that recognises the hard work and dedication of our colleagues and maintains the financial stability of the airport after the extreme challenges we faced because of the pandemic and at a time when passenger levels are still measurably lower than they were in 2019.”