Swissport is disappointed that a small number of trade union members has voted for strike action at Gatwick and Stansted Airports on bank holiday Monday (25th August) and the following Friday (29th August) and at Manchester Airport where strikes have been announced on 27th August and 1st September.
Gatwick Airport – Attempts continue to seek a settlement and the parties have agreed to urgent further talks involving ACAS Contingency plans are nevertheless being drawn up by Swissport management to protect customer airlines’ flights during the period of the possible strikes at these airports. The board of directors and the local management are working with the airport operators and the security organisations to look after passengers affected by the proposed action.
„We will do our utmost to try and ensure that passengers arrive and depart on time and have minimal disruption to their journey or their time in the airport,“ Tina Barbour, CEO Swissport said. „The pay offer that the unions have rejected provides a staged increase to pay rates of around 5%. In today’s difficult trading conditions, especially in the aviation sector, it is above those offers made by other handling companies. We believe that the vast majority of our staff recognize this and that is why across the three airports only just over one third of union members actually voted to strike. This is less than 20% of the total workforce“ Passengers due to be travelling with airlines handled by Swissport during the proposed strikes who are concerned about their travel plans are advised to contact their airlines or travel agents. Airlines served by other ground handling agents are not affected by this action.