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Union claims Gatwick workers were offered barbecue instead of pay rise
Unite has issued a statement accusing a Gatwick ground handling company of suggesting a company barbecue would be a fair alternative to a pay rise.
The union said workers employed by OmniServ, which handles the Norwegian airline baggage handling contract, will not accept ‘burgers instead of bucks’.
It says an annual pay award was due in May but the company has refused to even engage in talks.
Unite regional officer Jamie Major said: "Workers are not going to accept an offer of burgers for bucks. Our members need to be able to afford to eat every day and not just when the company chooses to hold a barbecue. You can’t pay the bills with burgers."
Unite said it is currently undertaking a consultative ballot of members to see if they wish to strike.
"It is very sinister that management is seeking to speak to members one-on-one about the pay claim and potential strike action. These meetings are all about coercion and arm-twisting," Major added.
"The annual pay date was in May and the company has still refused to offer any increase in basic pay. Our members have been very patient but they are now saying enough is enough.
"If there is strike action, passengers with Norwegian will face severe disruption but this dispute is entirely of the making of OmniServ."
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Bev
Editor in chief Bev Fearis has been a travel journalist for 25 years. She started her career at Travel Weekly, where she became deputy news editor, before joining Business Traveller as deputy editor and launching the magazine’s website. She has also written travel features, news and expert comment for the Guardian, Observer, Times, Telegraph, Boundless and other consumer titles and was named one of the top 50 UK travel journalists by the Press Gazette.
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