- Not enough refuellers to cover workers striking over pay and
Menzies cannot use agency staff
Birmingham airport, oil company Shell and airlines are pressuring
Menzies to prevent holiday strike chaos at the airport, Unite,
the UK’s leading union, said today (Wednesday).
All out indefinite strike action over pay by Menzies refuelling
tanker drivers and operators, responsible for refuelling three
quarters of the airport’s planes, will begin on Tuesday
15 August.
The specialised nature of the role, a ban on agency workers
during strikes from 10 August and the inability of the small
number of non-Menzies refuellers to provide adequate cover during
the strikes, is causing concern for everyone that relies on the
company’s services.
Birmingham airport airlines include TUI, easyJet, Wizz Air,
Ryanair, Lufthansa and Emirates. Menzies is contracted by Shell
to run refuelling operations at the airport. Refuelling workers
wear Shell branded work gear and the tankers are emblazoned with
its logo.
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “Our
members at Menzies are crucial to the running of Birmingham
Airport. Yet Menzies is refusing to fairly share the massive
profits that are being made because of these highly skilled
workers. This is just greed and Menzies’ clients and service
users are right to pressure it to end this dispute. Menzies’
needs to put forward an offer our members can
accept.”
Menzies’ most recent annual
report shows it had revenues of over £1 billion in 2021
with operating profits of £60.4 million, while its Birmingham
refuellers received a below inflation (RPI) pay rise last year
and have been offered another one this year.
Unite regional officer Sulinder Singh said: “Menzies
can resolve this dispute swiftly and avoid strike action by
putting forward a reasonable pay offer. The ball is in the
company’s court – it will be directly responsible for any
disruption caused at Birmingham airport.”
