Strike action at Bournemouth Airport has been called off once again after workers accepted an improved two-year pay offer from their employer.
Around 80 members of the Unite union, including staff involved in baggage handling, check-in, flight dispatching and aircraft fuelling, had been due to walk out this month on 16 and 17 October in a dispute over pay. The strikes, which were expected to cause major disruption, will now not go ahead after workers voted to accept the revised deal.
In the first year of the agreement, staff will receive a 4.5 per cent pay rise, alongside a £1 per hour enhancement for front-of-house roles such as security and check-in staff for hours worked between 3am and 6am, backdated to 1 April. In the second year, employees will receive a rise of inflation plus 0.5 per cent, or 3.1 per cent, whichever is greater, from 1 April 2026.
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said the outcome was a “great win” achieved through members standing together for fairer pay.
Regional officer Janet Wall added that the agreement had “averted highly disruptive strike action” and ensured staff were rewarded more fairly for their work.
Union members say the deal will make a meaningful difference for employees who have struggled to keep up with rising living costs in recent years.
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