A strike by British Airways workers at London Heathrow Airport this summer was called off after an improved pay offer, unions said on Thursday.
Members of the GMB and Unite unions had recently backed measures as rising inflation is eroding the purchasing power of wages and triggering work stoppages in several sectors.
“The industrial action affecting BA’s Heathrow airport check-in staff has been suspended after the company made a significantly improved salary offer,” Unite said in a statement.
The unions had previously threatened a “summer of strikes” after last month’s vote, but gave no exact dates.
BA ground staff at Heathrow had voted in favor by more than 90 percent.
The employees had been unhappy about a one-off 10 percent salary bonus.
They wanted BA instead to reintroduce their 10 percent pay cut from the pandemic era, when BA suffered huge losses and cut thousands of jobs.
“All of our members have asked what they are entitled to. British Airways is long overdue to make payroll payments,” added GMB National Officer Nadine Houghton.
“It is quite clear that organizing and threatening industrial action by workers has produced results.”
Union members will now vote on BA’s latest offer, which has not been made public.
“We are very pleased that after working with the unions, they have decided not to issue dates for industrial action,” BA said.
“This is great news for our customers and our employees.”
Thursday’s news comes a day after British Airways canceled a further 10,300 short-haul flights until the end of October as the aviation sector struggles with staff shortages and booming demand as the pandemic eases.
The airline, owned by conglomerate International Airlines Group (IAG), has now canceled 13 percent of its entire summer schedule.
BA is among the hardest hit by industry-wide turmoil as airlines struggle to cope with rising demand following the lifting of Covid travel restrictions.
At the same time, many workers in the UK are angry that wages are not keeping pace with the skyrocketing cost of living.
UK inflation hit a 40-year high of 9.1 percent in May and is forecast to be in double digits soon.
The BA pay dispute comes after tens of thousands of rail workers went on strike last month and work stoppages by senior criminal lawyers.
Elsewhere, the airline and postal sectors are facing strikes, while teachers and workers in the state’s National Health Service are considering action.
#British #Airways #Heathrow #strike
