HUNDREDS of travellers have been met with a warning as a major UK airport faces “huge strike disruption.”
It’s reported that up to 50 flights per day will be affected by the industrial action, potentially leaving holidaymakers stranded.
Holidaymakers have been urged to check their flights following a strike action announcement[/caption]
Red Handling staff at Gatwick Airport will be striking from April 18 to 22[/caption]
East holiday is pinned as one of Gatwick’s busiest time of year[/caption]
Gatwick airport is about to be subjected to strike action over the Easter Bank holiday weekend.
Employees will stand down from work over during of the busiest travel weekends of the year to protest pensions and payment delays.
Those striking currently work for the ground handling service Red Handling and are members of one of the UK’s biggest trade unions, Unite.
Baggage handlers, check-in staff and flight dispatchers for airlines Norwegian, Delta, TAP and Air Peace will be stepping down causing huge disruptions at the airport.
Unite regional officer David Taylor described the treatment of staff at the airport as a “disgrace” and urged Gatwick bosses to pay outstanding pensions.
He said: “The way the workers have been treated by Red Handling has been nothing short of a disgrace.
“We’re demanding that Red Handling pay all outstanding pension contributions immediately and compensate staff for retirement money they’ve lost, as well as commit to reimbursing them for late payments.”
As well as payroll issues, David said staff members often are not permitted sufficient breaks between shifts.
He acknowledged the Easter holidays will have a huge influx of holidaymakers and that strike action will affect them.
However, David pins the disruption back on Red Handling and states that the consequences are “entirely of Red Handling’s own making.”
“There is also a health and safety issue due to Red Handling workers not being able to take adequate breaks so they can rest between shifts and we urge the company to take this seriously,” he added.
“Gatwick Airport says it expects the Easter holiday to be its busiest period of the year so far, so there is no doubt that industrial action over the long weekend will be extremely disruptive for travellers – however this is a dispute entirely of Red Handling’s own making.”
Unite highlighted three key issues behind the strike – pension scheme mismanagement, delayed salary payments, and health and safety violations.
Staff have claimed there are missing and inaccurate pensions, with some missing entirely.
They have demanded compensation due to loss of retirement income and said it’s due to Red Handling’s negligence.
The company reportedly was slow on payments to employees by two weeks on three occasions last year.
Staff claim this is irresponsible and insist they are compensated for the income lost during payment delays.
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “Workers have had enough of Red Handling playing fast and loose with their retirement plans and waiting weeks for pay they are rightfully owed for their hard work.
“The union will not stand back and watch members be treated in such an appalling way and they have the full support of Unite in this dispute.”
As the UK’s second busiest airport, Gatwick will have to let hundreds of travellers know that their flight has been impacted.
The strike action will start on Friday 18 April and continue each day over the Easter holiday until the early hours of April 22.
Holidaymakers have been warned to check their flights online to spot any updates.