Heathrow security guards have announced their intention to stage a 10-day walkout over the Easter weekend, saying they expect the airport to experience severe delays and disruption as a result.
Unite, the union behind the strike, says over 1 400 members voted in favour of the walkout from March 31 until April 9 (Easter Sunday).
“Workers at Heathrow Airport are on poverty wages, while the chief executive and senior managers enjoy huge salaries. It is the airport’s workers who are fundamental to its success and they deserve a fair pay increase,” said Unite General Secretary, Sharon Graham.
“Our members are simply unable to make ends meet due to the low wages paid by Heathrow. They are being forced to take strike action due to need, not greed.”
The announcement came just a week after Heathrow CEO, John Holland-Kaye, reassured travellers that travel over the February half-term went very smoothly. “This should give everyone confidence that we are prepared for a successful Easter getaway.”
Heathrow has responded to the announcement of the action. “Passengers can be reassured we have contingency plans which will keep the airport open and operational despite unnecessary threats of strike action by Unite. We have proposed an inflation-beating 10% increase in pay, which the public will recognise is fair, and a majority of our colleagues have told Unite it is not worth striking over.
“We urge Unite to come back to the table to discuss implementing it. Threatening to ruin people’s hard-earned holidays with strike action will not improve the deal. We want to do the right thing by our people and our passengers. Each day only delays this pay rise reaching Unite members’ pockets.”
