Strike may hit holidays (From Barry And District News)

Strike may hit holidays

BARRY holidaymakers may face a summer of misery following threatened strike action by ground-handling staff at Cardiff International Airport.

Members of GMB, Britain's General Union, who work for ground-handling agent Aviance, have voted by more than 80 percent to go on strike after rejecting a 2.5 percent pay offer.

Aviance provides ground service such as baggage handling, ticket sales, despatch of aircraft, check-ins and other jobs.

Ed Blissett, GMB Senior Organiser, said: "A 2.5 percent pay offer is effectively a pay freeze. Unless Aviance changes its policy, there will be chaos across the airports this summer with massive disruptions to holidaymakers and business travellers."

Keith Nicolls, a spokesperson for Aviance, said: "Aviance has been negotiating with GMB as well as other unions over a pay claim for 2004. A meeting took place on May 20 at which Aviance made an offer to increase pay by 2.5 percent, without any conditions. The increase will be backdated to January 1, 2004.

"This latest improvement follows a 4.2% increase made last year, bringing the total awarded since January 2003 to 6.7%. These increases have been made at a time when the industry and the company still face well-publicised economic difficulties."

Graeme Gamble, Operations Director at Cardiff International Airport, said: "In the event of strike action, we are confident that we will be able to put a contingency plan in place to ensure the smooth running of the airport."