Passengers flying from some UK airports over Christmas and the New Year may have to go without food and drink if 700 catering workers vote for strike action.
The staff, who work for dnata, a company responsible for providing catering to major airlines including easyJet and Ryanair, said they are opposing attempts to change their terms and conditions without consultation.
Unite the Union, which represents the production line, warehouse, and delivery workers, warned that strikes could begin as early as the Christmas period, impacting flights from Heathrow, Gatwick, Glasgow, London City, Stansted, Bristol, Manchester and Birmingham airports.
“dnata’s attempts to bypass its workers and force through damaging changes to terms and conditions will not be tolerated,” said Unite General Secretary Sharon Graham. “Unite’s dnata members have their union’s full and unflinching support in fighting its underhand attempts to impose these plans.”
The proposed changes affect rostering, working hours, and holiday allocations. Unite’s National Officer for Aviation Balvinder Bir said that dnata’s refusal to engage in meaningful negotiations is to blame for the potential disruption.
“Strikes would have a serious impact on major airlines at eight UK airports and will be entirely the fault of dnata,” Bir said. “There is still time for industrial action to be avoided, but that will require dnata entering into meaningful negotiations with Unite about the changes it is putting forward.”
A dnata spokesperson said the company was “surprised and disappointed” by the union’s claims and issued the following statement: “Despite our continuous efforts to reach a fair solution, Unite has rejected our reasonable proposals to enhance wages and conditions and initiated a ballot for industrial action.
“We have already implemented and paid a salary increase to our team to address cost-of-living pressures and recognise their contributions to the company. Our current competitive offer is in line with market conditions, reflecting industry standards and comparable roles in the sector.
“We are surprised and disappointed by the union’s recent statement claiming we are changing terms and conditions without consultation, which is entirely inaccurate.
“We have consistently sought to engage in constructive discussions with the union throughout the negotiation process.
“We remain open to further dialogue and are committed to achieving an agreement that serves the interests of all parties and ensures the sustainability of our organisation.”
Photo: Airbus
Catering could be absent on some airlines.
