London Stansted Airport staff to vote on strike over pay

Strike would cause 'significant disruption' or could even close the airport, union says

More than 1,000 workers at Stansted will be balloted. Photo: London Stansted Airport

Members of the Unite Union at London's Stansted will begin voting on Friday over whether to strike in a dispute over pay, threatening further disruption at one of Britain's busiest airports.

More than 1,000 workers, including security officers, cleaners, firefighters and maintenance staff at Stansted, will be balloted, with voting closing on September 19, the union said.

The ballot over the strike comes after workers rejected a pay offer of 7.5 per cent plus a one-off £250 ($294) payment, the union said. UK inflation topped 10 per cent in July.

“Our members consider Stansted’s pay offer to fall short of their needs to pay simple household bills,” Unite regional co-ordinating officer Mark Robinson said in a statement.

A representative for Stansted Airport said it was “surprised and disappointed” by news of the ballot but was committed to reaching an agreement that recognised staff contributions and maintained financial stability after a challenging period during the pandemic.

“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 July 20,” the representative added.

Strikes in Britain — in pictures

Members of the Transport Salaried Staffs' Association (TSSA) and the Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) are joined by their families on the picket line outside Euston station in London. PA

Barristers on strike outside Liverpool Crown Court. Reuters

Bins overflow and litter piles up on Chambers Street as cleansing workers from the City of Edinburgh Council are on the fourth day of eleven days of strike action. PA

Members of the Unite union on a picket line at one of the entrances to the Port of Felixstowe in Suffolk. PA

BT staff with the CWU (Communication Workers Union) stand on a picket line during a strike outside the BT Tower in London. Reuters

Members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union on the picket line outside Reading station. PA

Workers at a rally outside Edinburgh City Council chambers as cleansing workers go on strike. PA

A lawyer holds a placard outside the Royal Courts of Justice in London, as they go on strike in a dispute over pay. AFP

A closed Victoria Underground Station in central London during a transport workers' strike. AP

Mick Lynch, general secretary of the RMT union stands on the picket line outside in Euston, London. AP

Jo Sidhu, chairman of the Criminal Bar Association, speaks during a strike by criminal barristers outside the Old Bailey in London. Reuters

A worker protests outside the entrance to the port at Felixstowe. Reuters

A strike at Stansted could cause further disruption for an aviation industry struggling with staff shortages at a time of surging demand, which has resulted in flight cancellations and longer wait times at airports.

Unite said the strike would cause “significant disruption” or could even close Stansted Airport.

Workers in a range of sectors across Britain have taken or threatened to strike in disputes over pay this summer.

On Friday, more than 115,000 Royal Mail postal workers began a four-day strike across Britain.