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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Airport strike action called off | Airport strike action called off |
| (about 7 hours later) | |
| Baggage handlers and check-in staff at Stansted, Gatwick and Manchester airports have called off a series of 24-hour strikes. | |
| Walkouts at Gatwick and Stansted on bank holiday Monday and 29 August were halted after talks between the GMB and Unite unions and employers Swissport. | Walkouts at Gatwick and Stansted on bank holiday Monday and 29 August were halted after talks between the GMB and Unite unions and employers Swissport. |
| Strikes at Manchester on 27 August and 1 September have also been called off. | Strikes at Manchester on 27 August and 1 September have also been called off. |
| A separate GMB strike involving more than 30 security scanners at Stansted is still due to take place on Monday. | A separate GMB strike involving more than 30 security scanners at Stansted is still due to take place on Monday. |
| The staff, who work for Airfield Services screening baggage for Ryanair and Easyjet, have rejected a 1.5% pay offer. | |
| 'Better offer' | 'Better offer' |
| Union members were unhappy with a 3% pay offer from Swissport which they branded "paltry", as well as new sick pay arrangements. | Union members were unhappy with a 3% pay offer from Swissport which they branded "paltry", as well as new sick pay arrangements. |
| Gary Pearce, of the GMB, said "we have a new improved offer to put to our members" as a result of talks at conciliation service Acas. | Gary Pearce, of the GMB, said "we have a new improved offer to put to our members" as a result of talks at conciliation service Acas. |
| He said: "Because of the improved offer all planned industrial action is suspended until we get the reaction of the members. | He said: "Because of the improved offer all planned industrial action is suspended until we get the reaction of the members. |
| "This does not affect the industrial action for the scanner workers who are employed by Airport Services." | "This does not affect the industrial action for the scanner workers who are employed by Airport Services." |
| The strikes would have affected services at airlines including Virgin Atlantic, Monarch, Thomson Fly and First Choice during one of the busiest periods of the year. | The strikes would have affected services at airlines including Virgin Atlantic, Monarch, Thomson Fly and First Choice during one of the busiest periods of the year. |
| A spokesman for Unite said: "We have suspended the industrial action. After 12 hours of talks at Acas we now have a revised offer in which improvements have been made and we will now ballot our members." | A spokesman for Unite said: "We have suspended the industrial action. After 12 hours of talks at Acas we now have a revised offer in which improvements have been made and we will now ballot our members." |
| Swissport had said it felt its initial pay offer was "fair... in the light of the current economic climate". | Swissport had said it felt its initial pay offer was "fair... in the light of the current economic climate". |