High Court ruling banning agency workers could have a devastating effect on Birmingham Airport's future.
High Court ruling banning agency workers could have a devastating effect on Birmingham Airport's future.
Unite union members at Birmingham Airport reject pay offer of more than 10%
A strike by 150 security and technicians at Birmingham Airport could have a much greater impact following a decision by the High Court to ban the airport from bringing in agency workers during strike action, in order to keep the airport safe.
According to Unite general secretary Sharon Graham the high court ruling "Is a total vindication for unions and workers. The government’s decision to allow employers to recruit agency workers to undermine legal strike action was a cynical move to back their friends in business and weaken workers’ legal rights to withdraw their labour.
It was entirely counterproductive as, rather than weaken industrial action, it has hardened attitudes and unnecessarily extended strikes. Birmingham Airport should be aware that this will happen if it decides to use strikebreakers in the short time it has to use them before the strikes begin and the ban comes into place. The only way this dispute will be resolved is with an acceptable offer from the company."
Workers at Birmingham will begin an all-out continuous strike on 18 July following a rejection of the 10.5% pay offer from the airport management.
Airlines set to have flights cancelled and passengers' travel plans ruined include TUI, easyJet, Wizz, Ryanair, Lufthansa and Emirates.
A spokesperson for the airport said "Union members have rejected a fresh pay offer of 10.5 per cent despite a recommendation to accept it from their union representatives, for whose support we are grateful.
We continue to make preparations to minimise the impacts of strike action on our customers. Our advice to customers remains to arrive at the airport in line with guidance from their airline."
The strike action may have a more far-reaching impact as one of the airport's biggest shareholders is said to be currently reviewing its UK investments due to the impacts of the economy and limited future development.