That’s right. The baggage screeners at London Gatwick have announced they’re planning to walk out in late August. Why? Because they feel their wages are low enough to qualify for a charity appeal, apparently. These are the folks who peer into your suitcase and decide if your hair gel is a national security threat—and they think their pay is the real crime.
We’re talking about a strike by hundreds of workers, from the people who push your bag through the X-ray machine to those who do it again, just to be sure. The union, Unite, says the pay for these screeners is so bad, it’s “poverty wages” for a job requiring constant focus and literal life-or-death pressure. I mean, I zone out trying to find my keys; these people have to spot a smuggled grenade in a bag full of socks.
What Does a Baggage Screener Do All Day?
Let’s be honest—you’ve probably never thanked a baggage screener. But imagine staring at a black-and-white image of someone’s dirty laundry for eight hours. It’s like playing a video game with the worst graphics ever, and if you lose, a plane could explode. And they get paid less than a barista who might accidentally put oat milk in your latte.
One screener told a reporter that the stress is real. “I have to decide in five seconds if that blob is a water bottle or a bomb,” they said. “And my paycheck says, ‘Thanks, here’s enough for a bus pass and a sad sandwich.’” Surprising fact: These screeners actually have to pass an exam tougher than a high school math test to spot weapons. Yet their starting salary is often under £23,000 a year—which, in London, buys you a cardboard box under a bridge with a nice view of the airport.
