More than 500 Border Force staff at London’s Heathrow Airport are set to strike later this month amid an ongoing dispute over new roster arrangements.
The Public and Commercial Services (PCS) union announced that its members will engage in three days of strike action from 31 May to 2 June, followed by three weeks of “action short of a strike,” including an overtime ban.
Following a previous strike at Heathrow from 29 April to 2 May, PCS wrote to the Home Office highlighting numerous issues with the new roster system and expressing widespread discontent among members.
In a statement published on Friday, PCS said, “We have set out to the Home Office that we are keen to try to find a resolution. But it was only following the threat of further strike action that the Home Office has indicated they are willing to meet. However, as yet, there’s been no consideration of the impact of the new roster on staff nor has the employer come back with any proposed changes. Therefore, as it stands the action will go ahead.”
The union added that its members are committed to the action and expect the walkouts to disrupt passport checks for travellers arriving at Heathrow.
The airport is working closely with the Home Office and Border Force on contingency plans, noting that previous strikes have been “managed successfully.”
This impending industrial action underscores the ongoing tensions between Border Force staff and the Home Office over working conditions, with significant potential impacts on travellers passing through one of the world’s busiest airports.