Strikes called off at Gatwick Airport

Monday, 14 September 2026 at 13:14

By Philip Keeler

Taxiway, Gatwick by N Chadwick, CC BY-SA 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

Planned strikes by more than 200 workers at London Gatwick Airport have been suspended after a new pay offer was put forward.

The industrial action involved 220 Unite members employed by Wilson James, who assist passengers getting on and off aircraft at the airport.

Workers had been due to walk out from 17 to 21 September, with a second period of strike action planned from 23 to 26 September.

However, Unite says the action has now been suspended while members vote on a new pay offer following negotiations with the company.

The union said the latest proposal was an improvement on the previous offer and that workers would now be given the opportunity to decide whether to accept it.

Unite regional officer Ben Davis said: “After pay talks, Wilson James has come forward with a new, improved offer. In good faith, we have paused industrial action to allow members to have their say on whether they accept this.”

The planned walkouts had raised the prospect of disruption for passengers requiring assistance at Gatwick later this month.

A decision on whether any further industrial action will take place will depend on the outcome of the ballot.

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