Birmingham airport faces ‘summer of chaos’ as workers vote on strike action

Walk-outs could begin in mid-July, but bosses say: ’We are confident the impact will be limited, and we do not anticipate any cancellations‘

Birmingham airport users warned of ‘summer chaos looming’ as Unite union ballots workers (Brian Anthony/Alamy Stock Photo/PA)

“Summer chaos” could hit Birmingham airport, the Unite union has warned, as it opens parallel strike ballots over pay.

Those voting comprise around 100 security officers and terminal technicians employed by the West Midlands airport, as well as aircraft refuellers employed by Menzies.

The union says workers have faced “two years of substantial pay cuts”. Most of the workers being balloted are security staff, who Unite says are working unsociable shift patterns for as little as £11.50 an hour.

Workers have been offered a 7.75 per cent pay raise plus a one-off payment of £850 – which the union calls “a further real terms pay cut”.

The Menzies workers, who refuel most aircraft at the airport, have rejected a 9 per cent pay offer.

Unite’s general secretary, Sharon Graham, said: “Both Birmingham airport and Menzies can afford to give their workers a fair pay rise and that is exactly what needs to happen.

“Unite workers at Birmingham airport are fed up with pay cuts, especially when they know both companies have combined profits of more than £80m.”

Strikes at Birmingham could begin in mid-July, coinciding with the usual surge in passenger numbers at the start of the school summer holidays.

The Unite regional officer, Sulinder Singh, said: “Strike action would cause a summer shutdown at Birmingham airport but this would be entirely the fault of the airport’s leadership and Menzies.

“Many of the workers at the airport are really struggling to make ends meet. This is simply unacceptable when both companies have enough money to pay them fairly.

“The employers need to come back to the negotiating table with offers that are acceptable to our hard-pressed members.”

A spokesperson for Birmingham Airport said: “We note the union’s decision to ballot for strike action – despite our current pay offer being well above the current UK average.

“A substantial majority of our workforce has already had a significant pay rise having accepted the company’s offer.

“We will continue to discuss with this union ways to find an acceptable outcome.

“In the event strike action does take place, we are confident the impact will be limited, and we do not anticipate any cancellations.

“Our advice to customers remains to arrive at the airport at least two hours before their flight departure time.”

For Menzies, a spokesperson said: “We are disappointed at the decision taken by the union to step away from negotiations and ballot for industrial action, despite our commitment to seek a resolution to agree a pay increase for our Birmingham airport team.

“The current offer of 9 per cent is on top of the 6.5 per cent pay increase we agreed last year. An alternative offer equivalent to a potential 11.5 per cent pay rise, which included a performance bonus, was also rejected.

“We are speaking to our partners and preparing contingency plans to minimise the potential impact industrial action could have on the airport and passengers should the ballot be confirmed.”

In 2023, the West Midlands hub was rated the worst for flight delays in the UK.

Ballots involving Unite members at Heathrow and Edinburgh airports have resulted in large majorities in favour of industrial action. But planned walk-outs by security staff at Heathrow, due to begin next weekend, have been suspended, pending a vote on an improved pay offer.

At Edinburgh airport, workers have voted to accept what the union says is a 12 per cent increase on basic salary and shift pay along with a one-off cash payment of £1,000.