Gatwick baggage handlers plan fresh strike
Travellers will have to contend with another baggage handlers’ strike at a major holiday airport this weekend.
The stoppage, by members of the Transport and General Workers Union (TGWU) at Gatwick airport in West Sussex, will last from midnight on Friday to midnight on Sunday, covering the whole of October 30 and 31.
The TGWU said a two-day strike covering October 23 and 24 – the seventh in a series at Gatwick – had failed to resolve the long-running dispute over changed working practices and the suspension of a senior shop steward.
“The longer this dispute has gone on the stronger the support has become,” said TGWU regional industrial organiser Ian McCoulough.
Airport operator BAA said last weekend’s action had “a minimal effect” on flights and that contingency plans put in place by Servisair, which employs the baggage handlers, had proved effective.
Travellers will face more disruption from November 1 when baggage handlers at Stansted airport in Essex plan to stage three 24-hour strikes following the collapse of talks aimed at resolving a pay dispute.
About 200 workers employed by Swissport, which services Ryanair and easyJet, will walk out on November 1, 3 and 11.
The GMB union said talks yesterday with the company had been fruitless and raised concerns about contingency plans managers said they were making to deal with the strikes.
The GMB and the TGWU said they were seeking an extra 1% pay rise on top of an offer of 3.75% for baggage handlers at Stansted.
