Gatwick strikes over Easter weekend set to go ahead

Unite has said the strike action at Gatwick over the Easter weekend is due to go ahead after its members rejected a proposal from their employer.

 

More than 100 staff working for Red Handling, including baggage handlers and flight dispatchers, are set to take action from 4.30am on Good Friday until 4.30am on Tuesday, April 22.

 

Red Handling said there was a plan in place to ensure “safe departures” for all flights.

 

Among several complaints by the union members, the most significant is felt to be an alleged mishandling of the Red Handling company pension scheme for more than a year.

 

The union said members yesterday (April 16) overwhelmingly rejected a proposal that Red Handling should be allowed to commit to its aim to pay all outstanding pension contributions by May 10.

 

Regional officer David Taylor said: “Members have had so many promises over the last year and they’ve said the latest is just another that [Red Handling] is going to break.”

 

He added: “We’re hoping this shows the company that members seriously want their money. They want their futures. They’ve lost interest on what they should have earned, but they just want their money now.”

 

He said he remained available at short notice for talks if Red Handling wanted to negotiate.

 

A spokesperson for Red Handling said: “Despite putting forward several proposals in consultation with the union and its members, we are disappointed that an agreement has not yet been reached.

 

“As a result, the proposed strike is likely to proceed over the bank holiday weekend.

 

“Through our ongoing negotiations, we have successfully reached an agreement on nine of the 11 points initially raised.

 

“We remain committed to working in partnership with the union to find a mutually acceptable resolution for the final outstanding points.

 

“Should a resolution not be achieved in time, we have made arrangements with our trusted partners to deploy additional resources during the planned strike period to help minimise disruption to our airline customers and their passengers.

 

“We can confirm that there is a plan in place to cover Easter weekend which will allow safe departures for all our flights. These plans have been shared with the airport and airlines affected.”

 

Unite said the staff taking action handle about 50 flights a day across Norwegian Air, Delta Air Lines, TAP Air Portugal and Air Peace.

A Gatwick spokesperson said: “We are aware of the recent ballot results and the planned industrial action by Red Handling, which will impact thousands of passengers during one of our busiest times of year.  

 

“We are supporting the airlines impacted, who hold the contracts directly with Red Handling, with their contingency plans and are hopeful a resolution can be reached ahead of the proposed industrial action. 

 

“Passengers are advised to contact their airlines directly for latest information.”   

 

The most popular destinations from Gatwick over Easter are set to include Malaga, Barcelona and Dubai, with the busiest day expected to be Good Friday with 764 flights.

 

The airport handled 8.4 million passengers in the first quarter of the year.