Confirmed: More strikes at Heathrow risk throwing May and coronation travel plans into chaos
Heathrow Airport has said that eight further days of walkouts by security staff will not disrupt travel for the tens of thousands of overseas visitors heading into London for the coronation of King Charles III.
Unite the Union have announced walkouts on May 4, 5, 6, 9, 10, 25, 26 and 27.
It is the latest in a series of walkouts related to pay and conditions.
Heathrow says it has offered staff a 10 per cent pay increase, which has been on the table since January, and sweetened the deal recently with a £1,500 lump sum.
“We kept Heathrow running smoothly during the first 10 days of Unite’s failed industrial action, and passengers can have confidence that we will do so again this time. We will not let Unite disrupt the flow of visitors to the UK during such an important period for the country,” a spokesman for the airport said.
“Instead of chasing headlines, Unite should listen to its members. The majority of Heathrow colleagues do not want to strike and want to accept the offer on the table. Each day that Unite refuses to allow members to vote on the 10% pay increase and a £1,150 lump sum payment is a day that costs colleagues money they deserve now.”
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “Yet again, we have a chief executive who thinks it is acceptable to boost his earnings while he denies his own workers a decent pay rise.
“This dispute is bound to escalate with more workers being balloted and disruption set to continue throughout the summer.”