Luton Airport security staff to strike

30 April 2019, 12:50 | Updated: 30 April 2019, 12:52

Security staff at Luton Airport are to stage a series of strikes in a row over new shift patterns, including over the Bank Holiday weekend.

Members of Unite will walk out from Wednesday (May 1st) to May 5th, and again from May 7-13, claiming "heavy handed" changes to working time.

The union accused the airport of attempting to push through a new shift pattern affecting about 120 security guards, leading to extra working days.

Unite regional officer Jeff Hodge said:

"Luton Airport is taking a very heavy handed approach by trying to force security guards to work an extra 15 days.

As a result the airport has now provoked strike action over the Bank Holiday weekend.

Security guards at Luton Airport work hard and have an incredibly important job to do.

The airport needs to take responsibility for the staff shortages by doing what's needed to recruit new staff rather than heaping all the burden on to its workforce.

The union offered to put the strike on hold to allow talks to continue but management is pressing ahead with its changes.

The airport now faces serious disruption over the Bank Holiday unless management urgently enters into genuine negotiations."

An airport spokesman said:

"We are disappointed Unite is pressing ahead with industrial action, however we have robust contingency plans in place to minimise disruption to passengers.

We remain open to further talks with Unite, but they have declined our requests to meet."

The airport said it gave staff affected by the shift changes a vote on different options and accepted the outcome, with the chosen shift pattern due to begin on Wednesday.