Heathrow: Strike chaos to hit almost every weekend through summer holidays
Heathrow Airport will be hit by 31 days of strike action this summer, beginning 24 June, as 2,000 security officers walk-out in a dispute over pay.
Nearly every weekend between June-August will be hit by the strikes, which will see more than 2,000 security staff walk out.
The strikes will take place on 24-25 and 28-30 of June, 14-16, 21-24 and 28-31 of July and 4-7, 11-14, 18-20 and 24-27 of August.
It comes after workers from the Unite Union rejected a below inflation pay offer of 10.1 per cent.
Members of the union have been involved in an ongoing row over pay and warned in the announcement that further escalation was likely.
Unite’s 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. Make no mistake, our members will receive the union’s unflinching support in this dispute.”
“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.”
Unite’s regional co-ordinating officer Wayne King said: “Delays, disruption and cancellations will be inevitable as a result of the strike action. But this dispute is completely of HAL’s own making.”
The strikes will coincide with significant dates including the Eid festival in June, the beginning of the school holidays in late July and the August bank holiday weekend.