Bournemouth Airport faces major disruption next month as around one hundred workers prepare to strike in a dispute over pay.
Unite confirmed that its members across roles including baggage handling, check-in, aircraft fuelling and flight dispatching have rejected the latest pay offer from the airport. Fire service workers, who come under a separate agreement, have also voted to strike after turning down the same proposal.
The offer included a five per cent rise for the lowest paid, taking them to £12.27 per hour, and 4.5 per cent for higher earners, with a second-year increase linked to Consumer Price Index inflation. Unite argued the deal does not keep pace with rising living costs and falls short of Retail Price Index inflation, which they say is a fairer measure.
Strikes are scheduled to take place from Friday 5 September to Sunday 7 September, with a further day of action planned on Sunday 14 September (*Correction). Unite warned that the walkout could shut down the airport entirely, particularly with the fire service involved.
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said the strike would be “highly disruptive” but insisted responsibility lies with airport management. Regional officer Janet Wall added that staff had been left with “no choice but to take action” after years of low pay.
Bournemouth Airport, which serves over 950,000 passengers a year, recently increased its charges by five per cent and has invested more than £50 million in expansion projects following a rise in passenger numbers. Flights to 34 destinations across Europe and North Africa operate from the airport, with routes including Malaga, Malta and Dalaman.
A statement issued by Bournemouth Airport says:
The Unite union has today (Friday, 22nd August) informed Bournemouth Airport that their members intend to undertake industrial action.
The dates of the proposed action are Friday 5th September to Sunday 7th September, and Sunday 14th September.
Preparations are well underway by the airport on contingency plans to minimise any disruption on these dates.
In the meantime, we are in ongoing negotiations with Unite and remain hopeful we can work constructively with them to reach agreement without the need for industrial action.
Unite’s ballot result, shared with the airport, showed that of the 89 Unite members at Bournemouth Airport eligible to vote, 61 (68.5%) voted in favour of strike action. This represents about 13% of Bournemouth Airport’s total workforce of 450.
Passengers due to fly on any of the planned strike days are advised to check with their airline nearer the time for the very latest information about their flight.
