UK trade union celebrates wage uplift at Gatwick

Unite, one of the largest trade unions in the UK, said close to  5,000 of its members have secured pay rises. 

The workers are employed by at least 11 separate companies, but all work at London Gatwick, London’s second busiest airport. 

The pay uplifts covered a broad range of service providers, including baggage handling, passenger assistance, and those directly employed by the Gatwick Airport company. 

The largest uplift was won by ICTS baggage screening workers, who had voted for strike action and have now accepted an 11% increase. 

Elsewhere, Passenger assistance firm Wilson James increased the pay of 400 workers by 10.5%. The team was also scheduled to take industrial action, but with the confirmation of pay increases both the Wilson James and ICTS strikes will be called off. 

Directly employed Gatwick staff were given an 8% annual salary increase and a one-off payment of approximately $1,000. This pay award will affect nearly 2,000 workers. 

More than 1,000 DHL easyJet employees recently won a 9.8% increase. 

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “As these phenomenal results show, Unite is reversing the trend of jobs at Gatwick being underpaid and undervalued. Unite is achieving this by organising workers at Gatwick and relentlessly focusing on improving jobs, pay and conditions.”

Unite regional officer Dominic Rothwell said: “Unite’s work at Gatwick shows why it is the union for the UK’s airport and aviation workers. Workers who want better wages and working lives should join Unite and get their colleagues to do the same.”