Leeds Bradford Airport Workers Suspend Strike for Pay Talks

More than 130 workers at Leeds Bradford Airport suspended planned strike action scheduled from October 23 to November 2 to allow for fresh pay negotiations. The affected staff include air traffic controllers and hourly-paid employees, such as passenger assistance and passport control staff, who had previously rejected pay offers from the airport.

Air traffic controllers are seeking pay parity with colleagues at Newcastle Airport, while hourly-paid staff report difficulty affording basic essentials. The airport expects to operate normally throughout the October half-term period as a result of the suspension. The conciliation service Acas will broker the upcoming talks to resolve the dispute.

Unite regional officer Neil Whitaker stated that the union paused action in good faith but maintains a strong mandate for industrial action. He warned that the union will not hesitate to announce new strikes that would have a major impact on the airport if negotiations fail to produce an acceptable deal.