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Airport workers suffering abuse at work amid disruption

As many as three quarters of aviation workers have been physically or verbally abused at work, a union survey reveals 

The GMB poll of hundreds of check-in staff, baggage handlers, security workers, cabin crew and others also shows two thirds of aviation staff say the abuse has had a detrimental impact on their mental health.

Members of the union have described being been spat at and suffered homophobic abuse from frustrated travellers.

The poll emerges as GMB’s annual congress, in Harrogate, heard a motion from aviation workers in London region calling for higher pay for airport staff to fix the low staffing levels causing disruption at airports.

Other findings from the show:

  • 96% reporting staff shortages where they work, with almost 90% said they experienced them daily
  • 85% stating the crisis in the aviation sector was going to get worse before it gets better
  • 86% saying that they feel that management have no plan to deal with the crisis
  • Almost half struggling to pay bills 

GMB national officer Nadine Houghton said: “The results of this survey are devastating.

“Three quarters of aviation workers experiencing abuse is totally unacceptable.

“GMB members are doing their best as they deal with a crisis that is entirely of airlines’ own making.

“Mass staff shortages are making their jobs – and people’s holidays – impossible.

“Airlines need to listen to workers and pay a wage that means they can live through the cost of living crisis.

“Then maybe they’d have enough staff to get people away on their holidays without frustration and delays.”

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