Union threatens airport strike chaos
LONDON (Reuters) -The GMB union has threatened to cause chaos at airports this summer by holding a series of strikes over pay which could be joined by other unions.
Over 80 percent of 1,000 GMB members balloted voted to go on strike, the union said in a statement, after rejecting a 2.5 percent pay offer from ground handling group Aviance.
GMB spokeswoman Rose Conroy said dates for strikes, which would affect airports including Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted, Manchester and Cardiff, could be announced next week.
“I would imagine it wouldn’t be an all-out strike. It would be one day here, two days there. That sort of thing,” she said.
Conroy added that strike action would likely be coordinated with the Amicus and T&G unions, which had also rejected the Aviance pay deal.
A spokesman for the T&G said his union was going through the balloting process but that its over 1,500 members working for the airport services group had yet to vote on strike action. No one was available for comment from Amicus.
Aviance commercial manager Paul Craig played down the immediate risk of strikes among its baggage handlers, ramp workers and clerical staff.
“Even if they do (ballot for strike action), it only leads to another round of talks. There will be more talks,” he said.
The GMB said airlines including British Midland, Iberia, Air India, Easyjet, JAL Japan and Air Seychelles would be affected by strike action.
The GMB and T&G did not specify a pay increase they would accept but Conroy said her members wanted “significantly more” than 2.5 percent.
Aviance UK is part of the Go-Ahead transport group.
By: SkyHIGH - 29th May 2004 at 22:32
Comet – your comment shows total ignorance. So your holiday flight may be affected (after reading your post I sure hope it is.) Do you know how much staff at airport handling agents get paid? I can assure you its not a liveable wage, usually no more than £5 to £6 an hour, to be at the airport at all hours of the day and dealing with all the s**t from passengers first hand. The union is representing airport workers well. At the end of the day flights will get delayed if the strikes go ahead, but surely you can understand why these strikes may go ahead?
By: Comet - 29th May 2004 at 22:06
We have a GMB office in Scarborough, which is a very interesting prospect!! The airline I am flying with this year is not mentioned in the list, but if my holiday was affected by these stupid bum holes, I have a very nice revenge to take 😀
Scarborough is a “poop scoop” zone (all dog owners have to clean up the sh*t from their dogs in a “poop scoop” bag). Now, where better to dump all those full poop scoop bags than through the letter box of the GMB on Northway, Scarborough, North Yorkshire?? If your holiday is ruined by these no good pieces of sh*t, let them have some real sh*t through their letter boxes!!!!
The people affected by the strike would far outnumber the strikers, so it is time that people took action against those who strike in this manner and showed them how sick and tired we are of them!!!
Send the sh*t your dog’s sh*t 😀 😀 😀 😀 😀 😀 😀
By: Bmused55 - 29th May 2004 at 19:29
Actually, strikes are few and far between here in the UK.
Firefighters went on strike because basically they were getting paid peanuts.
Train Drivers went on strike because they were greedy. They get paid upwards of 40 thousand pounds a year! where a firefighter is lucky to scratch 20 thousand.
However, it seems the french will strike for anything, the colour of a shirt they have to wear or the weather. 😉
By: tenthije - 29th May 2004 at 19:19
The UK has no need for a masterclass “striking”. They are quite qualified as it is! Their firefighters, train drivers, ATC, bagage handlers…. there’s always someone.
By: greekdude1 - 29th May 2004 at 18:25
If you want some advice for your strikes in the UK , ask us , we have decades of experience 😀 🙂
As does Greece. :rolleyes:
By: Hand87_5 - 29th May 2004 at 18:08
If you want some advice for your strikes in the UK , ask us , we have decades of experience 😀 🙂
Sign In
May 29, 2004 at 4:50 pm