Gatwick airport is set for disruption in the coming weeks because of two separate pay disputes.
Unite union members at Red Handling and Redline Oil are set to strike in May and June, with some overlap in the industrial action.
Plane refuellers from Redline Oil Services, who work for airlines including easyJet, are walking out in a dispute about pay. Gatwick is the low-cost airline’s biggest hub. The Redline workers have voted to strike after rejecting an offer of 3.5% over two years.
Redline members will be taking action on 16-20 May and 23-27 May. Red Handling members will be taking action on 11, 18 and 25 May, and 2 June.
Strikes and industrial action
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The two sets of four-day strikes by the Redline staff, who perform essential work ensuring aircraft have the necessary fuel for their flights, are likely to cause cancelled and delayed flights including in the early part of the May half term.
Meanwhile, following an Easter weekend strike by Red Handling, over 100 workers from the company including baggage handlers, check-in staff and flight dispatchers are set to walk out again for four consecutive Sundays including those on either side of the May half term.
Other airlines that will be affected by the unrest include Norwegian, Delta and TAP.
Red Handling workers say they have several issues with their employer, including missing and incorrect pension payments and not having schemes set up. Many have said they have been paid their wages late, which has left them in financial difficulty. On top of this, the 100-strong workforce has complained about not being able to take proper breaks.
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “Workers at both companies have had enough of poor pay offers and appalling treatment from their employers and it is little surprise they are taking strike action.
“We will back our members at Red Handling and Redline all the way during these disputes.”
Red Handling has also been accused of union-busting tactics, such as employing agency workers to cover the last series of strikes, as well as putting those who went on strike on unsatisfactory shifts and undertaking back-to-work interviews with those who took action in a bid to put them off doing this again.
Unite regional officer David Taylor said: “The way our workers have been treated by Red Handling since returning to work after the first wave of action is nothing short of a disgrace, with union busting rife at the company. Unite will not stand for it.
“Our message throughout this has been simple: pay our members their pensions and there will be no more action, but all the workers get is false promises.”
He urged both companies to return to the negotiating table.
Red Handling spokesperson said at the time of the Easter strikes (from 18 April): “Our shift patterns are fully compliant with UK law, with adequate breaks and downtime provided for staff.
“We take payroll very seriously and do everything we can to ensure that all employees are paid accurately and on time. The only recent issues we are aware of have involved non-traditional banks that have taken slightly longer to process payments.
“It affected a very small number of employees and the issue has now been resolved.
“We have responded positively and fully to all issues raised by Unite on behalf of its members and are working hard to address the pensions issues as quickly as possible.”
The company added that it inherited a “complex pensions scenario” and there had been a small number of delayed payments.
Redline Oil Services Gatwick workers, of whom there are about 40, only gained union recognition in 2024.
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