Gatwick Airport set for strike relief as union accepts new pay rise offer

ALAN JONES

STRIKES by workers at Gatwick Airport have been suspended, with union members either accepting or being balloted on new pay offers, it was announced yesterday.

Unite said planned strikes by DHL workers – who are employed to provide ground handling services at the airport – have been cancelled completely after they voted to accept a 15 per cent pay rise.

General secretary Sharon Graham said: “This is an excellent result secured by the steadfast position of our DHL members.”

ASC and Menzies workers are currently balloting on improved offers.

If the ASC workers reject the pay offer, they will go ahead with strike action scheduled between 28 July and 1 August as well as strikes between 4 and 8 August.

Strikes by Menzies workers between 28 July and 1 August have been suspended but if the offer is rejected strikes between 4 and 8 August will go ahead.

“The eurozone economy will likely move further into contraction territory in the months ahead, as the services sector keeps losing steam,” Dr Cyrus de la Rubia, chief economist at Hamburg Commercial Bank, said.