Bank Holiday strikes at Stansted postponed
ABM workers who help passengers with disabilities have put their action on pause as they vote on a proposed pay deal
Strikes planned by ABM workers at London Stansted Airport have been suspended following negotiations between Unite the union and ABM.
According to Unite, the industrial action was initially set to begin on the 3rd of May, involving around 100 union members responsible for assisting passengers with disabilities.
These employees were expected to walk out until the 6th of May in response to disputes over pay and increasing workloads, a move that Unite said could potentially lead to delays for passengers relying on the service during the bank holiday weekend.
Unite regional officer Steve Edwards said: "After talks, we have suspended upcoming industrial action to allow members to have their say and vote on a deal."
The strike suspension comes after Unite members rejected a pay offer from ABM, a company that, according to Unite, reported $2.2 billion in revenue this March.
Unite claimed there were concerns about low pay, reportedly below the London Living Wage, and increased workloads due to a rise in passenger numbers at Stansted.
An ABM spokesperson commented: "We are disappointed that Unite the Union has confirmed, once again, its intention to take industrial action, including over the bank holiday. This follows a shortfall of just two percentage points in the vote on our structured pay increase - an offer that significantly exceeds the current rate of inflation."
According to ABM, they are not located within the London Living Wage catchment area but have been meeting increased demand for its assisted travel services with additional staffing.
The company has detailed contingency plans to ensure service continuity during strikes, should they occur, and hopes to continue a constructive dialogue to resolve the dispute.