Staff employed by Menzies Aviation at Luton Airport who are members of the trade union Unite will receive a wage increase of 8.75%.
The agreement was struck after a series of pay negotiations with Menzies, which commenced following a vote by workers in favour of strike action. This has now been averted.
Baggage handlers, check-in staff, passenger service assistants and security staff at the airport voted overwhelmingly to accept the pay offer, Unite announced on 17 September 2018.
The affected employees will receive a 5% pay increase, backdated to October 2017, followed by either a further 3.75% or the retail price index (RPI) inflation rate, whichever is higher, from January 2019. Workers will also receive an additional premium of £1 per hour for work between the times of 00:00 and 04:59, effective from May 2019.
The pay deal will increase a typical baggage handler’s pay by around £1,670 by January 2019, according to Unite.
Jeff Hodge, Unite regional officer, said: “The workforce took a brave stand in order to improve their working conditions and pay. Not only did they secure a deserved inflation-beating pay increase of almost 9%, but management are also now working with the union to make significant improvements to working conditions.”
Menzies Aviation was unavailable for comment at the time of publication.
How ironic getting an 8.75% rise when the service they provide has gotten 30% more inefficient…. writing this at Luton airport having already waited 57 minutes for our flight’s bags to appear.