Stansted Airport scanner staff strike over pay

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-essex-34106156

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Thirty security scanner staff at Stansted Airport have gone on strike in a row over pay.

Members of the GMB union working for services firm Mitie, who scan luggage, walked out in the early hours and will not return until after 23:59 BST.

The GMB said its workers at the airport had voted by 87%, in a turnout of 80%, to strike over a rejected claim for a 3% pay rise.

The airport said operations were as normal with no disruption.

Neil Banks, head of customer services at the airport, said the previous strike by scanning staff had "no impact on our operation".

Gary Pearce, of the GMB union, said staff had been left with no option but to take industrial action.

The company had rejected two offers to go to the arbitration service ACAS.

"We are confident we have have the right resources in place and right plans in place to meet all the requirements of the weekend," he said.

A spokeswoman for Mitie said the company was "committed to treating employees fairly with regards to pay and terms and conditions and will continue to do so".

The strikers have rejected a 1.5% offer from the company, whose chief executive Ruby McGregor-Smith was included in the list of new peers nominated by the Conservatives last week.