FIREFIGHTERS have “overwhelmingly” voted to strike over a pay dispute at Southend Airport which could take place over the Christmas period.

The strike is set to take place between December 22 and January 6 if an agreement cannot be reached.

Discussions have been taking place since June last year after the fire crews expressed anger at not having received a pay rise in almost four years.

Last month, the GMB trade union decided to ballot members to see if they were in favour of taking industrial action to settle the pay dispute.

Gary Pearce, GMB Regional Officer for the London area, said: “The members have voted overwhelmingly in favour of industrial action over the Christmas period.

“We hope the airport realises how angry their staff are and negotiate so the strike action is not necessary.

“Members working for Stobart Aviation at Southend Airport are paid between £4,000 to £6,000 per year less than fire service personnel working in equivalent category airports in the area.

“They have not received an increase to their basic pay in almost four years and just want a fair pay rise that addresses the pay differential.”

Airports require specially trained firefighters on hand at all times and the personnel are licensed to work at Southend Airport specifically as each airport has their own operating procedures.

Mr Pearce claims this means that a strike would effectively mean Southend Airport would not be able to operate should a strike go ahead.

However Stobart Aviation, who have owned and operated the airport since 2008, insist there are contingencies in place to ensure there is no disruption.

The group also claims that firefighters at the airport will receive a pay increase from March next year that will be above the amount being asked for by the GMB Union and in line with inflation.

A spokesman for Stobart Aviation said: “Members of the Fire Service at London Southend Airport are fully aware that an above inflation increment of 4.5 per cent of annual salary will be paid to airport staff from March 1, 2018.

“This is above the 4.2 per cent pay increase (RPI plus 1 per cent) requested by the GMB.

“The trade union is agitating for strike action for a pay award lower than one already agreed and implemented.

“The airport already has contingencies in place to ensure uninterrupted operations in the event that this strike action proceeds.”

It was announced in October that the Stobart Group’s pre-tax profits for the six months to August 31 this year were up.

This was mainly due to the partial disposal of Eddie Stobart Logistics but they also saw passenger numbers at Southend Airport increase by 25 per cent to 610,500.

Mr Pearce added: “We would like them to get ACAS involved to help us reach an agreement but they have declined to take us up on that offer.

“The guys down there have been left with no where to go.

“No one wants to strike. We just want it resolved.”