GROUND staff at Stansted Airport are to stage a seven day strike, the GMB Union has announced.

The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee bank holiday weekend at the beginning of June will also be hit by the strike action.

Staff employed by ground service company Swissport, who are in a dispute over rosters, are staging a series of stoppages over the seven days.

The first will be from 5.30am on Wednesday to 5.30am on Thursday, while there will also be strikes from 5.30am on Saturday until 5.30am on Monday May 28 and from 5.30am on Saturday June 2 until 5.30am on Wednesday June 6.

The strike from June 2-6 includes the Jubilee bank holidays days on June 4 and 5.

GMB had previously threatened strike action over Easter after saying the introduction of new rosters would lead to a reduction in the baggage handlers’ incomes. Although both sides agreed to resume talks, the discussions broke down last Friday.

GMB organiser Gary Pearce said: “GMB negotiators have been in talks to reach an agreement to resolve this issue since the agreed suspension of the strike action scheduled over Easter.

“It is a shame that Swissport has made and then withdrawn a number of proposals including a return to the original four-days-on and two-days-off roster which would have settled the dispute. The proposals were withdrawn last Friday.”