Passengers at Bristol Airport are braced for flights without food or drink as strikes loom. Each of Heathrow, Gatwick, Manchester, Glasgow, London City, Stansted, and Birmingham also face catering strike action.
More than 7,000 dnata catering workers are balloting for strike action at these airports. The production line, warehouse and delivery workers are angry at the company’s attempts to change their terms and conditions without consultation.
If the strikes go ahead, airlines such as easyJet and Ryanair will be impacted. There will be no onboard food or drink during both long and short haul flights.
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “dnata’s attempts to bypass its workers and force through damaging changes to terms and conditions will not be tolerated. Unite’s dnata members have their union’s full and unflinching support in fighting its underhand attempts to impose these plans.”
It is reported that dnata is refusing to consult with Unite on the plans. The industrial action ballot opened this week and will close on Thursday, December 5, with strikes potentially being scheduled over the Christmas period.
Unite national officer for aviation Balvinder Bir said: “Strikes would have a serious impact on major airlines at eight UK airports and will be entirely the fault of dnata. There is still time for industrial action to be avoided but that will require dnata entering into meaningful negotiations with Unite about the changes it is putting forward.”