Manchester strike planned for bank holiday weekend

August 24, 2009

Ground staff at Manchester Airport have voted to stage a strike over the August bank holiday weekend.

The proposed action will see 300 members of staff including cleaning, refuelling and baggage-handling departments cease operating in what is traditionally one of the airport's busiest periods of the year. Despite the number of workers taking part, Manchester Airport has spoken openly about the minimal disruption it expects from the action.

A spokesperson for Manchester Airport said: "We'd like to reassure passengers travelling over the bank holiday weekend that because the potential strike action only affects 300 staff out of a workforce of 20,000 at the airport, major disruption is highly unlikely.

"We continue to advise people to come to the airport as normal. We are working closely with the companies involved to ensure that they have the staffing capacity to handle the situation should any strike action go ahead."

Trade union Unite was instrumental in arranging the strike, with representative Lawrence Chapple-Gill declaring: "Workers at Rentokil/Initial and ASIG are in dispute over a zero per cent pay offer while workers at Swissport are angry that the company has reneged on a pay deal agreed last year. All these workers cannot afford to be treated like this by their employers. Our objective is not to have people on strike, but in work and being fairly paid. These workers deserve recognition for their hard work and their continued commitment.

"Our members have demonstrated clearly that they are prepared to take part in industrial action and are willing to fight for fair pay. It is time for the employers to come back to the negotiating table and make a fair and decent offer to avoid any potential industrial action happening during the peak August bank holiday weekend."

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