A planned strike by immigration services workers at Gatwick Airport later this month has been called off after staff voted to accept a new pay offer.
Members of the Unite union employed by OCS Group, the private contractor providing support to UK Border Force operations at the airport’s immigration gates, have agreed to a six per cent pay rise, backdated to April 2025.
The settlement follows several weeks of negotiations between Unite and OCS, after union members had previously voted in favour of industrial action over pay and working conditions. The strike, which was expected to take place during one of the airport’s busy autumn travel weekends, has now been suspended.
Unite said the agreement represented a positive outcome for its members, who play an essential role in keeping passenger processing running smoothly at Gatwick. The union had warned that the strike could have caused delays for travellers arriving at the airport, as OCS staff provide critical assistance to Border Force officers at passport control and immigration checkpoints.
The deal comes amid ongoing challenges for the aviation industry, where recruitment and retention pressures continue to affect ground operations, security, and support services.
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