Staff at UK aviation regulator vote to strike in pay and conditions stand-off

Staff on the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) have voted overwhelmingly in favour of business motion in a dispute over pay.

Members of the Prospect union backed strikes by 2-1 and by nearly 9-1 for different types of industrial motion.

The union mentioned the CAA had refused to supply a “honest” pay rise for this yr.

Prospect added that an inner survey of CAA employees discovered that two in 5 are contemplating leaving the organisation due to poor pay and extreme workload.

It was the primary time a poll on industrial motion has taken place on the CAA, mentioned Prospect.

Turnout was 65%, nicely over the required authorized threshold.

The timing and nature of business motion might be determined in the end.

Mike Clancy, normal secretary of Prospect, mentioned: “Greater than a decade of actual phrases pay cuts have left our members on the CAA with no alternative however to take industrial motion.

“Throughout the preliminary phases of the pandemic they did their half by taking a pay minimize to allow their employer to proceed to operate.

“This present of goodwill has not been returned and insufficient pay ranges are having a critical impression on recruitment and retention on the CAA.

“The employer can nonetheless avert this industrial motion by coming again to the desk with a significant provide that addresses the continuing cost-of-living disaster.

“If they don’t achieve this, then the CAA’s standing as a world-class aviation regulator is in danger.”

Rob Bishton, interim chief government on the Civil Aviation Authority, mentioned: “It’s disappointing that some members of the Prospect Union have voted in favour of business motion.

“We recognise the cost-of-living challenges that colleagues face, which is why we’ve already carried out a 5% pay rise, together with an additional pay improve for a lot of workers in October. This improve additionally takes account of the pursuits of those that pay our fees and public sector pay coverage.

“With a modest proportion of the Civil Aviation Authority’s workforce who’re members of Prospect, ought to there be any motion by our colleagues, we don’t anticipate any disruption to the aviation sector. We proceed to interact constructively with Prospect.”

The CAA mentioned round 240 staff had been members of Prospect – 16% of a complete workforce of round 1,500.