The workers, who are on a contract tendered by easyJet, were fully prepared and voted in a ballot in favour of strike action to secure a pay rise.
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “Unite’s members at DHL have shown that by standing together they were able to secure a significant pay increase and improved conditions.
The DHL workers had experienced successive pay freezes in 2020 and 2021 and were focused on ensuring their pay levels returned to pre-pandemic levels.
DHL, which made profits of €4.8bn last year, had initially attempted to instigate a further wage freeze before offering improved rates, said Unite.
But once DHL understood the strength of feeling among staff the pay offer was increased to 10%, said Unite. In addition, DHL agreed to pay contractual sick pay to its workforce for the first time.
The pay increase comes at a time when Gatwick airport is beginning to see a major increase in flights, with its South Terminal due to re-open at the end of this month.
A spokesperson for DHL Supply Chain said: “We are pleased to confirm that the 2022 pay claim has been concluded. This industry-leading deal ensures that through our most important asset - our people - we can continue to focus on delivering service excellence for easyJet as they expand operations at Gatwick.”
