Strike action suspended at Leeds Bradford Airport as new pay deal considered
Planned strike action by security staff at Leeds Bradford Airport (LBA) next week has been suspended to give the GMB union time to consult with members over an improved pay deal put forward by airport bosses.
Workers at the airport were set to walk-out for three days following a dispute over pay – which saw a ballot return of 93% vote in favour of industrial action.
Joe Wheatley, GMB negotiator, said: “Following a number of commitments put forward by Leeds Bradford bosses to improve pay, we now need to fully consult with our members working in security at the airport.
“GMB’s strike committee has agreed to suspend next week’s planned strike action to give us the facility, time and space to consider the new, improved offer with our members.”
A spokesman at LBA said: “Our colleagues are at the forefront of LBA and we recognise their hard work and significant contributions.
“We are pleased to have worked closely and constructively with GMB to make progress towards an agreement. We’re committed to providing a quality service for our passengers and today is a positive step towards a conclusive agreement with the union and our staff.”
Earlier this month, the union called for an immediate increase in the hourly rate of pay for security workers, after claims managers at the airport had brought in “discretionary and performance related bonuses” which are “inaccessible to many security staff”.
Airport bosses responded that they had “engaged openly and cooperatively with GMB throughout the pandemic” but that the latest industrial action threat had come “without warning and without discussions”.
