BAA airports may shut as staff vote to strike

GROUND staff at airport operator BAA have voted to strike in a dispute over pay, the union Unite said, a move which could shut many of Britain’s busiest airports.

Unite said yesterday its members at BAA, owned by Spanish group Ferrovial, had voted three-to-one in favour of industrial action.

The union called on the firm to reopen negotiations on its pay dispute. BAA said the union had only gained weak backing for a strike after just half its members took part in the vote.

Unite said its officials would meet on August 16 to decide dates for any walkouts. The union has to give seven days’ notice of any action.

“For the past four months BAA has refused to even meet with us,” said Unite official Brendan Gold.

“BAA is doing passengers a great disservice by allowing this dispute to get to this stage. We are therefore calling on BAA to return to the negotiating table with a fair offer.

“We hope that the union will engage with us quickly to conclude an agreement,” a BAA spokesman said.

“Fewer than half of those people eligible to vote have done so and we do not believe this result provides a clear mandate for strike action,” he added.

Regulations require minimum staff at BAA airports, including London’s Heathrow and Stansted, risk being closed by strike.