Gatwick Airport strike action averted as Unite wins inflation busting increase for security guards
Wednesday, 6 March 2019 09:15
Strike action which would have disrupted all vehicles entering
Gatwick Airport has been averted after Unite, the UK and Ireland’s
largest union, secured an inflation busting pay increase for
security guards. Unite warned in January that the
guards, who had recently joined the union and who are employed to
staff all the vehicle barriers into the airports’ services areas
were considering strike action over low pay. The guards who
are employed by OCS Manned Guarding were...Request free trial
Strike action which would have disrupted all vehicles entering
Gatwick Airport has been averted after Unite, the UK and Ireland’s
largest union, secured an inflation busting pay increase for
security guards.
Unite warned in
January that the guards, who
had recently joined the union and who are employed to staff all the
vehicle barriers into the airports’ services areas were considering
strike action over low pay.
The guards who are employed by OCS Manned Guarding were only
being paid £8 an hour, the same rate as they were receiving 12
years ago.
However following a consultative ballot and detailed pay
negotiations a 12.5 per cent pay increase backdated nearly a year
to 1 April 2018.
Unite regional officer Jamie Major said: “Security guards at
OCS were on the verge of taking industrial action as they felt they
were the forgotten workforce at Gatwick and their standard of
living has plummeted.
“Due to the workforce’s solidarity and pressure from Unite we have
been able to secure a historic inflation busting wage increase for
the security guards.
“This is a perfect example of workers joining Unite, getting
organised and then securing a richly deserved pay increase.
“Additionally, Unite has agreed to a closer working relationship
with OCS to promote better employee engagement which befits a
workforce employed at a 21st century international
airport.”
The pay talks were facilitated by Matt Penfold of
conciliation service Acas, who was instrumental in reaching this
deal.
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