Heathrow strikes for next week postponed

Heathrow announced on Wednesday that the strikes scheduled for 23 and 24 August have been postponed.

A spokesperson for the airport said union members needed some time to consider a revised pay offer.

Unite also said a ballot over the new offer for 4,000 airport staff was under way.

That ballot will close on Monday 2 September. "Strike action proposed for 23 and 24 August has been suspended to allow the ballot to take place," a spokesperson said.

The union spokesperson added: “Following extremely productive pay talks a dramatically improved pay offer has been made.

“The workers will now be balloted on the improved offer with a recommendation to accept.”

Earlier this month, airlines cancelled flights in preparation for strikes by security, airside operations and passenger services personnel. Heathrow had initially cancelled 177 flights when the two-day strike action for 4 and 5 August was announced.

But since then, the airport has increased its pay offer from 7.3% to 7.8% over two years.

According to the BBC, a Heathrow spokespersons said: "We have put an additional £2.5m on the table since talks began, with our current offer bringing the total pay rise to 7.8% over two years for all frontline colleagues.

"This is well above [Retail Prices Index inflation], higher than any other UK airport and helps to provide long-term wage certainty and job security.”

The July figure for RPI was 2.8%.

The spokesperson added: "Heathrow has a duty to ensure the business is sustainable - particularly against the backdrop of increasing economic uncertainty facing the UK in the immediate future. The pay offer we have put on the table achieves that, in addition to being rewarding and fair to all colleagues."

Strikes at Gatwick have also been called off entirely after an improved pay offer was made and there has been no announcement so far from British Airways’ pilots who had also been planning on industrial action.