LONDON – Strike action at Heathrow on Tuesday has been called off after the airport group and the union Unite reached a deal over pay.
Workers had planned to walk out on both Monday and Tuesday in a row over wages.
Strike action over the two days has now been averted but Heathrow said a walkout on 23 and 24 August is still scheduled to go ahead.
Unite and Heathrow have reached an improved pay offer which will now be presented to its members.
Fearing a strike on Tuesday, some airlines had cancelled flights – Heathrow has advised passengers to check whether those services will now go ahead.
On Sunday evening, when the first day of industrial action was suspended for Monday, a number of airlines chose to reinstate flights.
In total 16 cancelled flights on Monday.
A spokesman for Heathrow said: “We regret that passengers have been inconvenienced by this and urge them to contact their airline for up to date information on the status of their service.”
Some 4 000 workers had threatened to walkout over a pay deal which Heathrow said is worth 7.3 per cent over two-and-a-half years.
Members of Unite will now have the chance to consider and vote on a new pay package.
Unite said that the strikes already announced for 23 August and 24 August “remained on the table until the result of the ballot was known”.
A spokesman for Heathrow said: “Unite will now take an improved offer to its members and we remain hopeful that we can find a resolution and stop this disruptive and unnecessary threat of strike action.” (BBC)