Passengers at airports across the United Kingdom may face the prospect of having no onboard food or drink during long and short-haul flights as dnata catering workers consider strike action.
Over 700 dnata workers providing food for airlines at Heathrow, Gatwick, Glasgow, London City, Stansted, Bristol, Manchester, and Birmingham airports are balloting for strike action.
Dnata Strike Action Looms
dnata’s attempts to change workers’ terms and conditions without consultation have angered production line, warehouse, and delivery staff.
According to Unite union, dnata is trying to change how it handles rostering, variable working, annualized hours, seasonal work, absence management, and annual leave allocations.
The workers, represented by the Unite union, feel these changes could have a detrimental impact on their working conditions.
If the strikes go ahead, it will have a significant impact on major airlines operating out of eight UK airports. Major carriers include easyJet, Ryanair, TUI, British Airways, Emirates, American Airlines, and Air India.
These carriers may be unable to provide in-flight catering to their passengers, potentially leading to disruptions and inconvenience for travelers.
Potential Carriers Affected
- Birmingham Airport: Emirates, TUI, EasyJet, Ryan Air and Air India
- Bristol Airport: easyJet, TUI and Ryanair
- London Gatwick Airport: easyJet, TUI and Emirates
- Glasgow Airport: easyJet, Emirates and BA
- London Heathrow Airport: Emirates, American Airlines, Singapore Airlines, Malaysia Airlines, China Air, Southern China, Air India, Royal Brunei Airline, Royal Jordanian, Kenya Airways
- London City Airport: BA
- Manchester Airport: easyJet, Ryanair, Emirates, TUI, Air Lingus, Singapore Airlines, Ethiopian Airlines
- London Stansted Airport: Ryanair, TUI, Emirates
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham has expressed the union’s full support for its dnata members. She said that the company’s attempts to bypass its workers and force through these changes will not be tolerated. The union will that a strong stance in defense of its members’ interests, said Graham.
dnata, on the other hand, has been unwilling to engage in meaningful consultations with Unite about the proposed changes. According to the union, the company’s refusal to collaborate has only served to further inflame the situation. This has raised the likelihood of industrial action.
dnata Statement
dnata have provided a statement on the proposed industrial action, providing further perspective on the matter.
“Despite our continuous efforts to reach a fair solution, Unite has rejected our reasonable proposals to enhance wages and conditions and initiated a ballot for industrial action.
We have already implemented and paid a salary increase to our team to address cost-of-living pressures and recognise their contributions to the company. Our current, competitive offer is in line with market conditions, reflecting industry standards and comparable roles in the sector.
dnata is surprised and disappointed by the union’s recent statement claiming we are changing terms and conditions without consultation, which is entirely inaccurate. We have consistently sought to engage in constructive discussions with the union throughout the negotiation process.
We remain open to further dialogue and are committed to achieving an agreement that serves the interests of all parties and ensures the sustainability of our organisation.”
Timing of Proposed Strike Action
The industrial action ballot opened this week and will close on 5 December. Catering workers could potentially strike over the Christmas period.. This timing could have a significant impact on travelers. Typically, the Christmas/New Year holiday season is one of the busiest times for air travel.
Unite’s national officer for aviation, Balvinder Bir, has warned that strikes would have a serious impact on major airlines at eight UK airports.
However, he also stated that there is still time for industrial action to be avoided. This could be circumvented if dnata enters into genuine negotiations with Unite about the changes it is seeking to implement.
As the situation unfolds, all parties will be closely watched. It remains to be seen if a resolution can be reached before a strike.
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