Monday, August 19, 2024 London Heathrow Airport, one of the world’s busiest hubs, is bracing for significant disruption as Border Force staff prepare for a new round of industrial action. The Public and Commercial Services (PCS) union, representing around 650 immigration staff at Heathrow, has announced that its members will go on strike from 31 August to 3 September 2024, with further work-to-rule actions and an overtime ban scheduled until 22 September. The industrial action comes as part of an ongoing dispute between the union and Border Force over changes to staff rosters.
The dispute between the PCS union and Border Force, which operates under the UK government’s Home Office, centers on changes to the working rosters of immigration staff. The union argues that the new roster system imposes unfair working conditions on its members, affecting their work-life balance and overall job satisfaction. This issue has already led to seven days of strikes earlier this year, causing widespread disruption at Heathrow.
Fran Heathcote, general secretary of the PCS, stated, “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.” Heathcote emphasized that the union is willing to negotiate with Border Force to reach a resolution that satisfies both the workers and the management. The timing of the strike is particularly concerning a.