Stansted baggage handlers consider strike action in pay dispute
Unite is warning that Ryanair flights from Stansted could face serious disruption if it goes ahead
A baggage handling company could eliminate the threat of industrial action at Stansted Airport over the summer “in a flash”, the union representing workers has said.
Unite, Britain’s leading union, is warning that Ryanair flights from Stansted could face serious disruption this summer as struggling workers demand fair pay after suffering a 10 per cent pay cut in 2020.
Workers employed by the ground handler Blue Handling, which provides baggage handling, check-in and other services to Ryanair at Stansted, have rejected a four percent offer. In 2020, at the height of the pandemic they suffered a 10 per cent pay cut.
With the workers now being hammered by rising costs as real terms inflation (the Retail Prices Index) hits 11 per cent, Unite is demanding a better deal for its members or strike action could follow over the summer period.
Union members are awaiting to be formally balloted for strike action but that could be avoided, if workers are properly compensated, Unite has said.
A spokesman said: “There are quite a few hurdles to get over before we get to a point where open the ballot, had the ballot result, and then in between that there are different windows of opportunity for Blue Handling to come up with a fairer pay offer.
“These workers sustained a 10 per cent pay cut and now they are suffering from a massive cost of living crisis. On top of that they would have been suffering a cost of living crisis without the 10 per cent pay cut but that is making it doubly worse.
“It is an easy fix for ABM to get back round the negotiating table to compensate the workers and completely avoid any strike ballot and potential disruption. They could end it in a flash.”
One Blue Handling staff member, who wished to remain anonymous, told the LDRS: “When Covid happened we were told and balloted that to save 100 jobs we had to take 10 per cent pay cut.
“We want our money back.”
Blue Handling employs around 750 workers and handles around 200 flights a day during the summer holiday season, but they claim they are facing staff shortages and are ‘paid less than many of its rivals at Stansted.’
Its parent company ABM’s first-quarter results of 2022 reported revenue of £1.5 billion ($1.9 billion), up 29.7 per cent over the prior-year period, while its client Ryanair is recovering well following the pandemic and has forecast passenger traffic of 165 million this year, the union says.
A “crunch meeting” did take place at the beginning of the month between union representatives and management. Unite is warning that the union will begin preparations for an industrial action ballot unless progress is made.
A spokesperson for Ryanair said: “We are aware of the ongoing negotiations between Unite and ABM who provide third-party handling services to Ryanair at Stansted.
“We understand these negotiations resulted in a signed agreement between ABM and Unite for significant pay rises for all staff which was subsequently rejected at ballot.
“We understand talks are ongoing and hope that they will be resolved without recourse to industrial action.
“Separately, we are unaware of any Blue Handling staffing issues at Stansted and have had no flight delays due to staffing levels.”
ABM said it did not want to comment.