Heathrow Border Force to go on strike

Border Force UK officers have announced they will be going on strike on August 31, according to their union.

The Public and Commercial Services (PCS) union, August 16, announced workers at Heathrow airport will be on strike from August 31 until September 3 in a dispute over changes in their timetable. After which they will be working-to-rule and refusing to work overtime until September 22.

Heathrow Border Force to strike over new rota

Many strikes have been threatened in the last years but few have materialised as management gave in to demands. Union members are in dispute about enforced changes to their rota and have already taken seven days of strike action. The 650 Passport control officers that work at Europes biggest airport, Heathrow, have been in dispute with their employer since a new and ‘inflexible’ roster was enforced in April.

New Border Force rota makes caring responsibilities impossible

This change made it impossible for many with caring responsibilities or disabilities from working at passport control, and over 250 experienced staff felt forced to look for new jobs.

One Border force guard wrote online, ‘This roster imposes inflexibility and insufficient rest periods. Staff are being given stress and anxiety and will have no work-life balance. For example, they expect staff to work five consecutive 10.5-hour shifts, all with 5am starts! That is unacceptable.’

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.’