Planned strike action by DHL workers at Luton Airport over the Christmas period has been suspended after an improved pay offer was put to staff. The move means hundreds of easyJet flights due to operate in the days after Christmas are now expected to go ahead as planned.
Around 200 baggage handlers and check-in staff, who work for DHL on an outsourced contract for easyJet, had been due to walk out from Boxing Day until 28 December in a dispute over pay. The action followed a three-day strike last week, from 19 December, which caused disruption during one of the busiest periods of the festive travel season.
Following further talks involving Unite, DHL and the conciliation service Acas, a revised offer has now been made to workers. Unite, the union, has confirmed that strike action for the Boxing Day period has been halted to allow members to be balloted on whether to accept the proposal.
Unite regional officer Jeff Hodge said: “Following negotiations, DHL returned to the table with an improved offer to our members. We’ve suspended strike action to allow them to have their say on whether to accept it.”
Luton Airport is one of easyJet’s largest bases and the suspension of the strike will come as a relief to passengers travelling through the airport over the Christmas and New Year period.
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