More than 1,000 fire fighters, security officers, cleaners and passenger ambassadors employed by Stansted Airport have accepted a 10% minimum pay rise via a ballot.
The improved pay offer agreement consists of an 8% increase backdated to 1 April 2022, and 2% from 1 October 2022, ending the threat of strike action at the airport from members of trade union Unite. The lowest-paid staff will receive an 11% increase, with 10% pay for other grades, as well as an additional £250 one-off payment.
Employees voted in favour of a strike action in a ballot last month, after rejecting an offer of 7.5% and a one-off payment of £250. The union said at the time that this amounted to a pay cut when the real rate of inflation was running at 12.3% and expected to climb even higher.
At the end of August, the union stated that during the Covid-19 (Coronavirus) pandemic, staff at the airport agreed to a 10% pay reduction for a year, which was extended at short notice by a further three months. Meanwhile, executive pay for the same period increased by 23%.
A Stansted Airport spokesperson said: “We are pleased that colleagues recently voted to accept our revised pay offer, which avoids any potential disruption to passengers as a result of industrial action.”
Sharon Graham, general secretary at Unite, added: “This is an excellent result for Unite’s members at Stansted Airport. By standing together, they forced the employer to return to the negotiating table and make an improved offer. Unite is now entirely focused on promoting the jobs, pay and conditions of its members and this ballot result demonstrates that this approach is delivering positive results in the workplace.”