More than 4,600 workers at Gatwick Airport will receive an average pay increase of 8.3 per cent.
The UK trade union Unite secured pay rises for the airport workers, who are employed by 11 different companies at the airport.
The figures were released after around 400 Wilson James passenger assistance workers, who were scheduled to strike, voted in favour of a pay offer worth 10.5 per cent, according to Unite.
170 ICTS baggage screen workers, who had also voted for strike action, have accepted an 11 per cent pay deal.
Meanwhile 1,900 workers directly employed by Gatwick will receive an 8 per cent rise in addition to a one-off £900 bonus. 1,100 DHL easyJet workers have also secured a pay increase of 9.8 per cent.
Sharon Graham, general secretary of Unite, said: “As these phenomenal results show, Unite is reversing the trend of jobs at Gatwick being underpaid and undervalued.
“Unite is achieving this by organising workers at Gatwick and relentlessly focusing on improving jobs, pay and conditions.”
The 11 employers where Unite secured pay deals for 4,625 workers are Gatwick Airport Ltd, DHL EasyJet, Menzies, ASC, North Air, ABM Airside, Red Handling, ICTS, DHL Gatwick Direct, Wilson James and Gate Gourmet.
A Gatwick spokesperson said: “We are pleased that the proposed strike action by Wilson James and ICTS has been called off and our passengers will receive the service they expect.
“We look forward to welcoming passengers departing on their summer holidays as normal.”
Unite’s victory at Gatwick comes as the trade union also delivered a pay deal for 20 customer service agents at Skytanking at Inverness Airport.
They will receive a pay increase of £1.00 an hour – an average increase of 7.75 per cent – in addition to an extra days holiday and double time at Christmas and New Year.
Marc Jackson, industrial officer at Unite, said: “Unite held successful negotiations with Skytanking at Inverness Airport to ensure our members got a significant boost to their take-home pay.
“It’s a deal we are pleased to have got over the line on behalf of our members.”
ARGS has contacted the other companies who agreed to new pay deals for comment.
