GMB SECURE COMMITMENT FROM CARDIFF AIRPORT TO PAY A LIVING WAGE

GMB SECURE COMMITMENT FROM CARDIFF AIRPORT TO PAY A LIVING WAGE

THE AGREEMENT DATES BACK TO THE 2016-17 PAY NEGOTIATIONS WHERE CARDIFF AIRPORT AGREED WITH THE GMB THAT IT WOULD STRIVE TO ACHIEVE PARITY WITH THE LIVING WAGE FOUNDATION RATE OF PAY.

GMB is pleased that Cardiff Airport has agreed with GMB to pay a real Living Wage by 2020.

As the union for security staff, GMB believe that Cardiff Airport should pay the real Living Wage but recognise that Cardiff Airport is working to a detailed business recovery plan, to ensure a sustainable airport in the future for both its stakeholders and the Airport team, and believe that the Airport is taking steps to implement the full living wage rate in an appropriate and affordable manner.

The rate is different from the legally obliged National Living Wage implemented by the UK Government in 2016, which offers a bare minimum to workers and has had little impact to reduce the phenomenon of in work poverty that has rocketed since the Tories came to power.

The Airport is working towards being in a position to implement the Foundation Living Wage by the end of 2020.

The agreement was originally made with GMB in the 2016/17 pay discussions, where Cardiff Airport agreed to ‘strive to achieve parity with the Living Wage Foundation rate of pay, but that this would be balanced in line with airport profitability’.

In the meantime the current deal agreed in September sees all staff receiving a two year pay deal of 4%, 2% of which would be applied this year.

This award was put to GMB members which received a majority acceptance

We are also pleased that the Airport have transferred all security staff ‘in house’ and these staff are no longer on exploitative Zero Hours Contracts but on contracts that offer decent terms and conditions to staff which, following the 2016/17 pay negotiations include time and a half for overtime working outside of full time contracted hours.

GMB ORGANISER ROSEMARY BROAD SAID:

“GMB is delighted to have secured a commitment from Cardiff Airport to pay a living wage.”

“We are clear we support a real living wage and are pleased to have got that commitment form Cardiff Airport through discussions with GMB last year.

“Whilst we accept that big changes like this cannot be made overnight we’re satisfied that there is a plan in place that will see the living wage implemented voluntarily.

“In the meantime, we are happy with the outcome of the pay negotiations this year, 4 per cent pay raise over 2 years for members and confirmation from the airport to pay all staff the national living wage rate regardless of age – ensuring that younger members of staff get a deal in line with their peers however old they are.

“Additionally parity was attained for all security staff securing double time pay should they be required to work Bank Holidays.

“We have a constructive relationship with the airport management which has allowed us to reach this point and we hope to see this continue in the future.

“However we will remain vigilant and should we be in a position where we believe the airport is reneging on their agreements, we will be the first to speak out.”