Airport deal averts summer strikes

Last updated at 16:54 07 July 2004


A summer of air disruption has been averted after an agreement was reached on a pay deal for airport baggage handlers at the end of a day of talks.

Union leaders spent five hours talking with managers at services firm Aviance before striking the agreement, GMB leaders said.

Holidaymakers using 17 British airports would

have faced massive delays and chaos if the strikes go ahead.

Brendan Gold, national officer of the Transport and General Workers' Union, said the two sides had not been able to bridge the gap.

Discussions will now be held with shop stewards before a decision on whether to press ahead with strikes is made.

Mr Gold said there had been some movements from the company during today's negotiations but a deal had not been agreed.

He said there was a "small gap" between what the

union was seeking and the latest offer from the company. Unions had turned down a 2.5% pay rise and are seeking an increase of 3.5%.

Members of the TGWU have voted to take industrial action if the deadlock is not broken.

Mr Gold said he hoped the company would reconsider its position and hold fresh negotiations to try to avert strikes, which would cause travel chaos for tens of thousands of holidaymakers.

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