Strike plans at Gatwick Airport in July

The Unite union announced on Friday that around 300 workers at Gatwick will go on strike in July over pay increases.

The strike involves baggage screeners employed by ICTS and 200 workers providing special support services employed by Wilson James.

Both groups of workers have rejected wage offers and are planning a strike from July 12 to 14 and July 19 to 21. If the disputes are not resolved, further industrial action is possible.

Sharon Graham, general secretary of Unite, said: “These workers are carrying out incredibly demanding jobs at one of the UK’s busiest airports. All they are asking for is a fair day’s wage.”

“ICTS and Wilson James are wealthy companies and can afford to make acceptable pay offers. Our members at Gatwick have the full support of Unite in striking for a decent pay rise.

The strikes will cause significant disruption to security checks and passenger services.

In addition, Dnata truck drivers and warehouse workers who provide on-board catering for Easyjet will be voting on possible strike action over shift pay.

Dominic Rothwell, Unite’s regional representative, said: “The employers in these disputes are responsible for any inconvenience caused to passengers at Gatwick. These disputes could easily be resolved if reasonable offers are made.”

“There is still time to avoid industrial action, but to do so, companies must put agreements on the table that are acceptable to our members.”