Huge Disruption For Travellers As Wizz Air Ground Handlers Strike

Travel turmoil looms for British holidaymakers as additional strikes are declared. Wizz Air ground staff at London Luton Airport have proclaimed a three-day strike in the coming months.

Wizz Air ground handlers at London Luton Airport, employed by GH London Ground Handling Services Ltd, have announced they will strike for three days in August and September over a disagreement concerning working conditions. The Unite Union stated that over 80 members will undertake industrial action in August and September.

The conflict arose from GH London’s repeated targeting and threats towards a Unite representative with disciplinary measures, unauthorised use of CCTV and audio recording in break rooms, failure to adhere to its own disciplinary and grievance procedures, unequal discipline against ethnic minority workers, and consistent failure to pay wages fully and punctually.

The first 24-hour strike is scheduled to take place on Wednesday 30 August, with further walkouts scheduled for 6 September and 13 September.

Support From Unite

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: ‘GH London’s conduct is appalling; workers deserve to be treated with dignity and respect in the workplace and the company’s behaviour falls far below that standard. Unite always puts the jobs, pay and conditions of its members first and the workers at GH London will be receiving the union’s unflinching support.’

Unite has been striving to address these longstanding issues through dialogue, but GH London has ignored the union’s warnings.

Huge Disruption

More than 80 members of Unite, the UK’s foremost union, will initiate three preliminary days of strike action. Richard Gates, a Unite regional officer, said: ‘The strikes will cause huge disruption to Wizz’s schedule but GH London has brought this dispute on itself. Unite has given the company every opportunity to improve its conduct and it has refused to do so.’

Wizz Air Offer Help To Affected Travellers

Regarding the dispute a Wizz Air spokesperson said: ‘We are in touch with Luton Airport and our ground handling partner and are doing everything within our control to limit disruptions for passengers.

‘In case of any disruptions, we will reach out to any affected passengers who booked directly with the airline via email and SMS and let them know their options as soon as we have an update.’