Bournemouth airport faces ‘major disruption’ with strikes on horizon

Bournemouth airport faces four days of strikes after workers rejected a new pay offer.

Around 80 members of the Unite union, who work in different areas of the airport including baggage handling, check-in, flight dispatching and aircraft fuelling, were due to walk out in a pay dispute earlier this month.

The action on September 5, 7 and 14 was suspended to allow workers to be balloted on whether to accept a new deal.

However, strikes are now due to take place on September 30, October 1 and October 16-17 after union members rejected the new offer.

Flights to and from the airport will be “severely impacted” by any strike action due to the numbers of workers involved and the fact they work across different services in the airport, Unite claimed.

Unite members who work for the fire service at the airport, part of a different union bargaining agreement, will not be striking after accepting a new pay deal.

Unite regional officer Janet Wall said: "This dispute will inevitably result in major disruption to passengers but this dispute is entirely the fault of the employer.

"Offers so far have been rejected as they don’t go far enough to address years of low pay and the fact that workers are struggling financially. However, Bournemouth airport can stop this highly disruptive strike action by coming back with a new improved offer.”

Bournemouth airport said: "We are extremely disappointed industrial action has been threatened despite the airport having negotiated extensively and in good faith with Unite and having met all their previous demands in full. This included making significantly improved pay offers to staff in line with requests, which Unite recommended to their members for approval.
 
"The airport fire services team have accepted the improved pay offer, but other areas have disappointingly not.
 
"We will continue to seek to reach agreement with Unite without the need for industrial action. At the same time, preparations are underway on contingency plans to minimise disruption and allow the airport to operate as normal on these dates."