London Stansted Airport (STN) is set to face disruption next month after passenger assistance workers employed by ABM confirmed strike action will proceed following the rejection of a revised pay offer.

More than 100 workers, represented by Unite the Union, are due to walk out between 3 May and 6 May, coinciding with the May bank holiday weekend. The workers provide essential support for passengers with reduced mobility.

Stansted Airport strike ABM response highlights operational contingency plans

The action follows earlier negotiations, during which planned April strikes were suspended to allow workers to vote on an improved offer. Unite has since confirmed that the revised proposal was rejected, citing concerns over low pay and increasing workloads.

Unite General Secretary Sharon Graham said: “ABM staff do a vital job for passengers at the airport, yet they are struggling with low pay while their employer makes huge profits.”

In response, ABM defended its position, stating that the rejected offer “significantly exceeds the current rate of inflation” and fell short of acceptance by only two percentage points in the staff vote.

The company added that it has put comprehensive contingency measures in place to maintain operations during the strike period.

An ABM spokesperson said: “Through comprehensive contingency planning, we will continue delivering services throughout this period with all roles covered, and additional operational and management support in place.”

ABM also noted that Stansted Airport does not fall within the London Living Wage catchment area and said increased demand for assisted travel services has been matched by higher staffing levels.

Despite this, the union maintains that pay levels do not reflect workload demands, particularly as passenger numbers continue to rise.

The planned strike is expected to impact passenger assistance services, with potential delays for travellers requiring additional support, although the scale of disruption remains uncertain.

Credits: London Stansted Airport 

The post Stansted Airport Strike Set for May Bank Holiday first appeared on AircrewNews.com.

On September 30, 2025, the Cockpit Association, a union representing 10,000 pilots from all German airlines, announced that it had received a strong mandate for the next steps in the dispute.  

90% of Lufthansa’s pilots voted, with 88% showing support for the collective bargaining committee. 95% of Lufthansa Cargo pilots voted, with 96% behind the mandate.  

“The result is a strong signal of the unity of our members. The pilots clearly stand behind the demands and their collective bargaining committee,” said Andreas Pinheiro, President of the Cockpit Association. “We thank everyone who cast their vote.” 

The vote was opened to members on September 12, 2025, once negotiations between the two parties had failed after seven rounds of talks. 

According to the Cockpit Association, the “reason for this was the massive differences regarding the company pension plan”. 

Arne Karstens, spokesperson for the collective bargaining committee, said: “Retirement provision is a central foundation of life planning for pilots – at least as important as the statutory pension. We now expect Lufthansa to take the signals from its workforce seriously and finally present a negotiable offer for company pension provision.”  

According to the union, with the vote completed, it now has authorization to “initiate all necessary measures, including industrial action, if necessary”.   

The Cockpit Association established the collective bargaining commission in 2023 to consolidate the interests of all Lufthansa Group pilots across all flight operations. 

Credits: Lufthansa

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The post Lufthansa pilots vote in support of strike action over pension plans first appeared on AircrewNews.com.