LONDON (Reuters) -A first round of strikes planned by baggage handlers working with easyJet at London’s Gatwick airport has been suspended after a better pay offer, their union said on Tuesday, warning that other walkouts will still go ahead.
The announcement will provide relief to some holiday-goers because the industrial action had been planned to coincide with the busy summer holiday season at Gatwick, a key hub for leisure flights to southern European beach destinations.
Around 600 DHL workers who fulfil contracts for Gatwick’s biggest airline easyJet have called off strikes planned for 28 July to 1 August and will now be balloted on the new pay offer, trade union Unite said in a statement.
“As an act of good faith, Unite’s Gatwick DHL members have agreed to suspend their first set of strikes while they are balloted on the new offer,” Unite Regional Officer Dominic Rothwell said.
If members were to reject the deal, the union said it would set out fresh strike dates. It did not elaborate on what the new wage offer was.
Strikes planned by around 450 ASC, Menzies Aviation and GGS staff, who work for other airlines including British Airways, are still scheduled to take place from July 28 to Aug. 1 and from Aug. 4 to Aug. 8.
Gatwick, about 30 miles (48 kilometres) south of London, has said that it would support airlines with their contingency plans to ensure as many flights as possible operate as scheduled.
(Reporting by Sarah Young, writing by Muvija M; editing by William James)
