A further two-day strike is set to cause havoc once again at Gatwick airport this Saturday and Sunday.

The ongoing dispute concerns the failure to resolve concerns over changed working practices and the suspension of a senior shop steward.

Ian McCoulough, T&G regional industrial organiser commented:

“The longer this dispute has gone on the stronger the support has become. There is no resolution in sight and feelings are running high that the action being taken by the company against our senior steward is as much an attack on the T&G as it is action against the individual.

“The charges which our steward faces have not been spelt out clearly. Servisair have interviewed less than half of the witnesses to the alleged incident in July which led to him being suspended. The company appears to have been selective in taking what evidence they have. In these circumstances natural justice is not being done. The fact that the company have not moved to address this means the dispute continues.”

McCoulough referred to the demands of baggage handlers drawing on the example of the number of managers (three) required to do the job of one handler on a strike day. He said that new imposed working practices put unreasonable pressure on their members.