UK Civil Aviation Authority faces historic strike as workers demand better pay

Workers at the British Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) are preparing for a joint strike over better pay. 

On January 28, 2025, members of the Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS) and Prospect union, who work for the CAA, announced a 24-hour strike planned for February 6, 2025. Prospect will hold the walkout at its headquarters in Crawley, West Sussex. 

The strike will involve approximately 450 members from both unions. It marks the first industrial action at the CAA since the late 1980s and the first strike by Prospect members there in 40 years.  

“Despite our ongoing industrial action the CAA has still not come to the table with an offer our members can accept so we have no choice but to escalate to a day’s strike,” said Rachel Curley, Deputy General Secretary of Prospect union. “There is still time to avoid further industrial action which will be damaging for the industry, but the employer needs to restart good faith negotiations.” 

In response to the announcement of industrial action seen by the BBC, a CAA spokesperson said: “We continue to engage with union colleagues, and after prolonged discussions it is disappointing that Prospect members have voted to take industrial action.” 

Since mid-January 2024, Prospect union members have been taking action short of a strike, including working to rule and enforcing an overtime ban, while PCS members previously went on strike for two days on January 16 and 17, 2025, after rejecting a pay offer from their employer.   

The CAA proposed a 4% pay increase for the lowest-earners, and 3% for others, PCS announced in a statement. The company also offered a £1,000 non-consolidated payment to be made in April 2025, which was immediately rejected by both unions. However, the CAA has stated it will not reopen pay discussions for the 2024-2025 period. 

Prospect released a statement criticizing the 3-4% pay offer, saying it does keep pace “with the industry nor civil service.” The union warned that ongoing action short of a strike could “cause delays across the industry to things like fleet refits, the introduction of new models, licensing of new hangar facilities.” 

According to PCS union, if the CAA “refuses to make an acceptable pay offer, more combined strike days will follow.” Curley added that “this is not an issue that is going to just go away and if it continues it will start to impact airlines causing delays.” The post UK Civil Aviation Authority faces historic strike as workers demand better pay appeared first on AeroTime.

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