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Gatwick Airport Baggage Screeners to Strike over Pay

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

Gatwick Airport is bracing for significant disruptions to its summer holiday flights as baggage screeners employed by ICTS are set to go on strike from next Friday to 26 August, and again from 29 August to 2 September. The strike, organized by the Unite union, aims to address the workers' concerns over pay, which the union claims is "just above the minimum wage." Meanwhile, ICTS made a profit before tax of £6.1m in 2024, a 46.9% increase compared to the previous year.

Key Takeaways:

  • Baggage screeners employed by ICTS at Gatwick Airport will walk out on strike from next Friday to 26 August and again from 29 August to 2 September, disrupting all flights out of the airport.
  • The strike is in response to the workers' concerns over pay, which the Unite union claims is "just above the minimum wage."
  • ICTS made a profit before tax of £6.1m in 2024, a 46.9% increase compared to the previous year.
  • Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said ICTS has "more than enough money" to offer the workers a fair pay rise.
  • Members of the Public and Commercial Services union at Ofgem in Glasgow, London, and Cardiff will also walk out for three days from 26 August in a separate dispute over pay and conditions.
  • The strike will impact passengers traveling during the bank holiday weekend in England and Wales.

Statistics:

  • 10 days of strike action planned by Unite at Gatwick Airport
  • 46.9% increase in ICTS's profit before tax in 2024 compared to the previous year
  • £6.1m profit before tax made by ICTS in 2024
  • Just above minimum wage earnings of Gatwick workplace baggage screeners

Sources:

  • Holidaymakers flying from Gatwick Airport could face severe delays to their flights as baggage screeners prepare to strike from next week (No date provided)
  • Unite said baggage screeners employed by ICTS will walk out in a dispute over pay from next Friday until 26 August - which includes the bank holiday weekend in England and Wales - as well from 29 August to 2 September (No date provided)
  • Unite claimed the workers are among the lowest paid at the West Sussex airport, earning "just above the minimum wage" (No date provided)
  • ICTS made a profit before tax of £6.1m in 2024, a 46.9% increase compared to the previous year, according to the union (No date provided)

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