Security staff at Heathrow Airport have announced plans to strike almost every weekend over the summer.
The new round of strikes involve more than 2,000 officers and continues the protest of low pay and poor working conditions. The latest strikes are set to begin on June 24 and will continue for 31 days across the summer period.
Whilst previous rolling strikes was centred around the Terminal 5 facility at London Heathrow airport, the latest round of strikes may also affect Terminal 3 operations, as staff have voted to join the action.
The strikes are expected to cause significant disruption to flights at Heathrow Airport. Passengers are advised to check the status of their flights before traveling.
Unite union
The security staff are members of the Unite union. The union has said that the strikes are necessary because Heathrow Airport is refusing to pay its security staff a fair wage.
The union has also said that Heathrow Airport is failing to provide its security staff with adequate training and resources.
Speaking on the news of the rolling action through the summer season, Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “Unite is putting Heathrow on notice that strike action at the airport will continue until it makes a fair pay offer to its workers.”
According to a report by The Guardian, Ms Graham said the airport had “got its priorities all wrong,” adding “This is an incredibly wealthy company, which this summer is anticipating bumper profits and an executive pay bonanza.”
“It’s also expected to pay out huge dividends to shareholders, yet its workers can barely make ends meet and are paid far less than workers at other airports:”
Heathrow Airport
Heathrow Airport has said that it is disappointed by the union’s decision to strike. The airport has said that it is committed to providing its security staff with a fair wage and that it is working to improve the working conditions of its security staff.
The strikes are the latest in a series of industrial disputes at Heathrow Airport. In recent months, ground staff at Heathrow Airport have also gone on strike in protest of low pay and poor working conditions.
The strikes at Heathrow Airport are a sign of the growing discontent among workers in the aviation industry. Workers in some sectors of the aviation industry are facing instances of low pay, poor working conditions, and long hours.
Impact of the Strikes
Passengers are advised to check the status of their flights before traveling. The strikes are expected to cause some level of delays and cancellations of flights. Passengers may also experience longer wait times at some security checkpoints.
The protracted industrial action is also expected to have an economic impact. The aviation industry is a major economic driver in the UK, and the strikes are expected to cost the industry millions of pounds.
