Heathrow Airport is bracing itself for a spate of industrial unrest as around 650 Border Force officers, members of the Public and Commercial Services union (PCS), are set to strike for 23 days starting from August 31 to September 3, followed by work to rule and refusal to do overtime until September 22.
The strikes come amid an ongoing row over alterations to terms and conditions, which has resulted in about 160 staff departing from the Border Force due to inflexibility, while others have reportedly been pressured into changing their work hours and practices, reports Bristol Live.
PCS general secretary Fran Heathcote said: “Our hard-working members at Heathrow take great pride in keeping our country’s border safe, but many are being forced out of the job they love. They’re being told by managers to choose between caring responsibilities and their job, which is no choice at all.”
Heathcote added that the tough decisions faced by the staff were a direct result of management actions: “The only reason they’re being forced to choose is because their managers are forcing them. We know our strike action is likely to cause serious disruption to travellers using Heathrow at the end of the summer, but the strike can be avoided if the employer listens to the concerns of our members.”