Catering workers at eight UK airports including Heathrow, Gatwick and Manchester are balloting on strike action which could disrupt the onboard service of multiple airlines over Christmas.
More than 700 workers employed by dnata, who provide food for airlines at Heathrow, Gatwick, Manchester, Stansted, London City, Glasgow, Bristol and Birmingham airports, began balloting for action this week.
The workers’ union Unite accuses dnata, part of the Emirates Group, of attempting to change the terms and conditions of production line, warehouse and delivery workers without consultation.
The ballot will close on December 5, with strikes potentially scheduled over Christmas affecting airlines including easyJet, Ryanair, Tui, British Airways, Emirates, American Airlines and Air India.
The union said dnata is refusing to consult with it on changes to rostering, variable working, annualised hours, seasonal working, absence management and annual leave allocations.
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “Dnata’s attempts to bypass its workers and force through damaging changes to terms and conditions will not be tolerated.
“Unite’s dnata members have their union’s full and unflinching support in fighting its attempts to impose these plans.”
Balvinder Bir, Unite national officer for aviation, warned: “Strikes would have a serious impact on major airlines and will be entirely the fault of dnata.
“There is still time for industrial action to be avoided but that will require dnata entering into meaningful negotiations with Unite about the changes it’s putting forward.”
The Emirates Group reported a record half-year profit of $2.8 billion for the six months to September today.
A spokesperson for dnata Catering & Retail UK said: “We’re surprised and disappointed by the union’s statement claiming we are changing terms and conditions without consultation, which is entirely inaccurate.
“We have consistently sought to engage in constructive discussions with the union throughout the negotiation process.
“We remain open to further dialogue and are committed to achieving an agreement that serves the interests of all parties.”
The spokesperson added: “Despite our efforts to reach a fair solution, Unite has rejected our proposals to enhance wages and conditions and initiated a ballot for industrial action.
“We have already paid a salary increase to our team to address cost-of-living pressures. Our current offer is in line with market conditions, reflecting industry standards and comparable roles in the sector.”