Travellers flying to and from their summer holidays have been warned of a ‘serious disruption’ as Border Force officers at Heathrow Airport are set to take industrial action for 23 days from the end of the month. Around 650 members of the Public and Commercial Services union (PCS) will walk out from August 31 to September 3, then work to rule and refuse to work overtime until September 22. The strike is in response to a long-running dispute over changes to terms and conditions that have affected staff at the airport.
The PCS general secretary, Fran Heathcote, highlighted that over 160 staff have left the Border Force due to inflexibility, while others have been pressured to alter their working hours and practices. Heathcote expressed that the strike action may cause significant disruption to travellers using Heathrow at the end of the summer, but it can be avoided if the employer addresses the concerns raised by the union members.
The union asserts that many dedicated staff at Heathrow are being forced to make tough choices between their job and caring responsibilities due to the managerial decisions that are pushing them out of roles they love. The PCS union emphasises that the strike is a last resort and hopes that meaningful dialogue can lead to a resolution before the planned industrial action begins.
As travellers prepare for their summer getaways, the potential strike action at Heathrow serves as a caution for those using the airport during the affected period. The impact of the industrial action on operations and passenger experiences underscores the importance of timely and constructive communication between employers and employees to avoid such disruptions that can inconvenienced holidaymakers and other airport users.