Employees of ABM who are members of the union, Unite, are balloting to take strike action due to a pay dispute, which is likely to cause delays to flights at London Stansted Airport next month.
Cause of the Potential Industrial Action
Negotiations over pay took place between ABM and its employees who work at Stansted Airport and are responsible for looking after and assisting passengers with disabilities and persons with reduced mobility (PRM). These employees, who are members of Unite, a leading union protecting and defending its members’ rights, are balloting for industrial action as they believe their pay is not in accordance with their skill set and dedication to both their customers and the company they work for.
“Our members are constantly expected to undertake more and more work, yet ABM is cynically failing to pay a fair wage. Our hardworking members at ABM deserve better and will have Unite’s full support during this dispute,” says Unite General Secretary Sharon Graham.
Several of the 100 workers taking part in balloting for a strike are paid less than £14.80 an hour, which is below the London Living Wage. The low pay for its employees is not in line with the profitability of ABM, and particularly its PRM operation.
Effect of Strike on PRM Services
With the increased responsibility and pressure that has come with a rise in the number of flights, and thus, an increase in passengers in the past few years, the workers believe their pay should also be increased. Some of these workers are required to have a special qualification in order to operate minibuses and Ambis, large and costly vehicles, to be able to assist passengers.
“We recognise that people who use PRM services while travelling will be concerned about any delays, but any industrial action is the fault of ABM which is refusing to pay its workers a fair wage. Strike action is a last resort for our members at ABM, who care about the roles they do. However, management is not taking their concerns seriously. There is still time to avoid this action, but it relies on ABM coming back to the table with a fair pay offer,” says Unite regional officer Steve Edwards.
The industrial action could take place in mid-April if matters are not resolved before the closing of the ballot on Apr. 1, 2026. If the strike action does go ahead, passengers should expect severe delays and disruptions to flights, as the boarding time of passengers who require the assistance of PRM operations will be prolonged due to the absence of the skilled workers.
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