City airport faces strike threat

Ground staff at London's City airport are to be balloted on taking strike action in a dispute over pay and working conditions, their trade union, the GMB, said yesterday.

The workers, who are employed by the agency Aviation Resources, provide checking-in and dispatch services for CityJet, Air France and KLM airlines, the union said.

Talks are scheduled at the mediation service Acas for 21 February, but if these fail to make progress, the union said it would press ahead with the ballot arrangements.

"If GMB members vote in favour of strike action, this will have an impact on all CityJet, Air France and KLM flights arriving and departing from London City airport in March," GMB organiser Stephanie Attwood said.