Airport faces strike threat in pay dispute
16.09.07
Liverpool Airport faces the prospect of being shut down by a strike in a long running pay row, it has been revealled. The dispute involves firefighters, maintenance and bird scarers at the airport and concerns a pay review in April. Staff have rejected the airport's last offer and, should the firefighters strike, the airport would be forced to close due to lack of safety cover.
Airport bosses say they are prepared to meet with unions again early next month to discuss the pay offer. But the GMB Union have said that the dispute has already been rumbling on for six months and that the workers have lost patience. They are calling for a meeting next week and, failing this, a ballot for industrial action could be called.
Eddie Parker, GMB union regional organiser, said: 'Our members would not, at this moment, be slow to request a mandate for industrial action. They have concerns over their future at Liverpool Airport [after recent redundancies of airport baggage handlers].'
The airport's management has indicated they want to increase their 'final offer' and the union is keen to reopen negotiations, but Mr Parker warned that staff expect a significantly higher offer than previous talks. He said: 'The company are aware our members are looking for an above inflation pay rise. The last offer tabled by management was worth 3.2%, excluding add-ons for firefighters. This is not acceptable'
Robin Tudor, the airport's spokesman said: 'This is part of our annual pay awards. We want to keep talking and a date has been set for early October. We are keen to find a solution and still want to talk and resolve this and hopefully with this date set we hope this can happen.'
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