Travel chaos ahead as major London airport faces strikes - exact dates

Workers at Stansted Airport are set to strike in May after a pay offer was rejected, threatening disruption for travellers. Around 100 employees of ABM are scheduled to take industrial action from May 3 to May 6. The decision to strike follows a dispute over what staff members claim to be an "unacceptable" pay proposal from the company.

The industrial action involves staff who perform crucial roles, including escorting passengers on and off flights. These workers are also responsible for assisting passengers through the airport, meaning their absence could impact the smooth operation of services during the four-day walkout. The strike marks a significant escalation in the ongoing pay dispute at the major UK aviation hub.

Staff had been scheduled to take industrial action from April 17 to 20, but it was called off to allow workers to vote on a last-minute pay offer, The Mirror reports.

But the strike is now going to go ahead with Unite calling the situation "unacceptable". 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. This situation is unacceptable and workers at ABM continue to have Unite's full support."

And a statement from Unite reads: "Industrial action by Unite members who look after passengers with disabilities at London Stansted Airport will go ahead next month, after they rejected a new pay offer.

"Around 100 workers at ABM will now walk out from 3 May to 6 May, coinciding with the first May bank holiday weekend, after rejecting a substandard pay offer from their employer. ABM staff, who do a crucial job escorting passengers on and off flights and through the airport say the offer failed to tackle low pay.

"Many of the workers are paid below the London Living Wage of £14.80. Yet ABM is a highly profitable global company, reporting in March that it made $2.2 billion in revenue, an increase of 6.1 per cent on the previous year."

ABM UK is a leading management company that handles the day-to-day operations and maintenance of large-scale commercial and public facilities.

The business involves keeping shared spaces clean, safe, and running efficiently behind the scenes. They provide a massive range of on-site services including professional cleaning, technical engineering maintenance, and physical security for anything from corporate offices, shopping centres and airports to distribution hubs.