Industrial action by passenger assistance staff over pay is expected to affect flight operations at London Stansted Airport later this week.
Flights at London Stansted Airport are expected to face delays this week after more than 100 passenger assistance workers employed by contractor ABM voted in favour of strike action over pay.
The workers, who support passengers with reduced mobility and other disabilities, have rejected a pay offer they describe as inadequate, warning that industrial action will slow boarding processes and disrupt departures.
Strikes are scheduled to take place from 17 to 20 April, following a ballot in which 97% of participating Unite members voted for action.
According to Unite, ABM has offered an increase of just one penny per hour in the first year, followed by a further two or three pence per hour in the second year. The union claims the proposal would require staff to work an entire week to afford the equivalent of one additional tin of beans, once taxes are taken into account.
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham described the offer as unacceptable, saying: “This is one of the meanest so‑called pay rises imaginable. Dedicated workers will have to work for an entire week just to buy a tin of beans.
“It is beyond contempt that a profitable company such as ABM is choosing to prioritise greed and exposing its workers to a real‑terms pay cut. Our members at ABM will be fully supported by Unite throughout this dispute.”
The dispute comes as Stansted continues to handle rising passenger volumes and flight movements. Workers say workloads have increased accordingly and that pay has failed to keep pace. Many ABM staff are currently paid below the London Living Wage of £14.80 an hour, placing them among the lowest‑paid workers at the airport. Unite argues that recent increases in pay for ABM staff have largely resulted from statutory minimum wage rises rather than company‑led uplifts, leaving real earnings under pressure as costs rise. The union has also highlighted ABM’s financial performance. The company reported revenues of $2.2 billion in March, representing a year‑on‑year increase of 6.1%, underlining, Unite says, its ability to make a more substantial offer.
Steve Edwards, Unite Regional Officer, said disruption at the airport could be avoided if the company returned to the negotiating table. “Any strike action and the resulting disruption is entirely the fault of ABM for putting profits over people,” he said.
“ABM could avoid this disruption, but it relies on management coming back with a realistic pay offer that reflects the hard work our members do.”
During the strike period, airlines and the airport are expected to put contingency measures in place, but Unite has warned passengers to anticipate delays, particularly where additional assistance is required to board aircraft.
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