It is not acceptable that the people who work the hardest to generate the profits for a company are the very people who do not get to share in the profits, says GMB London
GMB members working as Property Maintenance staff for CBRE Global Solutions at Heathrow Airport will be taking 24-hour strike action on 23 September after GMB issued strike action notices to management following an overwhelming strike ballot result in favour of industrial action.
In June, 90% of GMB members working for CBRE at Heathrow and Gatwick airports said they would be willing to take industrial action against the company after 97% of members rejected a 2% pay rise.
Since July 2018 CBRE Property Maintenance staff working on the British Airways contract at the airports have been told that, despite CBRE’s healthy profits, they will not be getting a pay rise. CBRE said that this was because their properties contract with British Airways was up for renewal and until the tender process was completed, a pay rise was impossible.
However, this process can be extended on a month to month basis for up to 2 years without the contract being awarded to CBRE at the end of it. GMB has contacted British Airways to seek clarification regarding whether they are withholding CBRE workers’ right to a pay rise. British Airways have refused to comment on the situation.
Trevlyn McLeod, GMB regional organiser said: “It is not acceptable that the people who work the hardest to generate the profits for a company are the very people who do not get to share in the profits.
“Let’s be clear our members are the ones who should be afforded the respect of having the money that they have earned, shown in their pay packets. They are not asking for something they have not earned. They are asking for a pay rise worthy of the work they have done. Nothing more nothing less.
“Our members who make your business not your business who makes our members.”
A GMB member working for CBRE said: “It’s not right that when profits are high, managers are getting bonuses dished out and BA are negotiating above-inflation pay rises, that CBRE and BA should expect us to accept what’s on offer.
“We’re not being greedy. We’re trying to stop our living standards from dropping. They are refusing to negotiate. We’re all out of options.”
