Border Force officials embark on four-day walkout at Heathrow
James ChappleMore than 300 Border Force officials at Heathrow airport have embarked on a four-day strike over working conditions and new staff rosters their union claims could force 250 of them out of jobs.
Around 600 officials had been due to walkout earlier this month but the action over 11-14 April was called off to allow the Public and Commercial Services union (PCS) to resume talks with the Home Office.
However, fresh action was called just a few days later to give PCS members the option to strike should the talks "not bring a satisfactory resolution" to the current dispute.
PCS members staffing passport control at Heathrow terminals two, three, four and five walked out at 5am on Monday (29 April) and will return to work at 7am on Friday (3 May).
Fran Heathcote, PCS general secretary, said it was disappointing that despite talks last week, the Home Office had been unprepared "to grant any flexibility to their new roster".
The union claims the new arrangements are "unworkable", limiting its members flexible working arrangements, and would force around 250 members out of their jobs.
A Home Office spokesperson said that while department "remained open to discussing a resolution with the PCS", the changes it was proposing would bring working arrangements for Border Force officials at Heathrow "in line with the way staff work at all other major ports".
They added the Home Office had "robust plans" to minimise disruption, but nonetheless warned passengers to check the latest advice from their airline before travelling. Heathrow too said it had contingency plans.
It is the first in a string of strikes set to impact operations at Heathrow over the coming weeks, with around 50 aircraft refuellers represented by the Unite union – serving airlines such as Virgin Atlantic, Delta Air Lines, Emirates and Air France – planning to walk out for 72 hours from Saturday 4 May.
This is then followed by action by another nearly 800 Unite members from 7 May to 13 May who are striking over plans to outsource a number of terminal roles, including staff who assist passengers with connections, employees with trolley collection roles and security personnel whose job it is to check workers and their vehicles.
James Chapple
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