Emirates passengers flying to the airline’s bustling hub in Dubai from major UK airports, including London Heathrow and Gatwick, have been warned that they might go hungry on the nearly eight-hour flight as hundreds of catering staff employed by the airline’s parent company ballot for strike action.
More than 700 catering staff at eight airports across the United Kingdom who are represented by the powerful Unite union plan to take part in a strike ballot after becoming frustrated with attempts to change their terms and conditions without consultation.
The workers are employed by Dnata, a subsidiary of the Emirates Group, which reported record half-year financial results on Thursday, with pre-tax profits hitting US$ 2.8 billion for the first six months of 2024.
Dnata’s catering workers in the UK not only supply Emirates flights but are also contracted by a slew of other airlines, including American Airlines, Singapore Airlines, Malaysia airlines, and TUI.
Airlines flying out of Heathrow would be worst affected, with as many as ten carriers hit by a potential strike, but a walkout would also bring Dnata catering facilities to a halt at London Gatwick, Birmingham, Bristol, Glasgow, London City, Manchester, and Stanstead.
Not even low-cost airlines would be immune to a walkout, with catering trucks used to service easyJet and Ryanair planes at some UK airports also being disrupted by a potential strike.
“Strikes would have a serious impact on major airlines at eight UK airports and will be entirely the fault of dnata,” slammed Unite national officer for aviation Balvinder Bir on Thursday.
“There is still time for industrial action to be avoided, but that will require Dnata entering into meaningful negotiations with Unite about the changes it is putting forward.”
Unite represents workers across Dnata’s airport catering facilities, including production line operatives, warehouse workers, and delivery employees who drive high loaders to the side of the airplane.
According to the union, Dnata has refused to consult or engage in proposals to change roster patterns, absence management, and annual leave.
Unite’s general secretary, Sharon Graham, said the union would not “tolerate” any attempt by Dnata to bypass its workers and “force through damaging changes to terms and conditions.”
A spokesperson for Dnata, however, said the company was “surprised and disappointed” by the union’s decision to hold a strike ballot, dismissing claims that it was trying to change working conditions without first holding a consultation were “entirely inaccurate.”
“Despite our continuous efforts to reach a fair solution, Unite has rejected our reasonable proposals to enhance wages and conditions and initiated a ballot for industrial action,” a spokesperson for Dnata told us.
“We have already implemented and paid a salary increase to our team to address cost-of-living pressures and recognise their contributions to the company. Our current, competitive offer is in line with market conditions, reflecting industry standards and comparable roles in the sector.”
The strike ballot is set to close on December 5 and if workers vote in favor of a walkout, a strike could then go ahead for the busy Christmas and New Year period.
