London Heathrow set for more Border Force strikes

More than 500 members of Border Force staff at London’s Heathrow Airport will take strike action later this month in an ongoing dispute over new rosters.

The Public and Commercial Services union said its members will take three days’ strike action from 31 May to 2 June which will be followed by three weeks of action “short of a strike” that will include an overtime ban.

PCS said that following its previous strike action at Heathrow, from 29 April to 2 May, it wrote to the Home Office to highlight “the many problems raised with the new roster system” and expressed “widespread disquiet and anger” among members.

“We have set out to the Home Office that we are keen to try to find a resolution,” said the PCS in a statement published on Friday. “But it was only following the threat of further strike action that the Home Office has only just indicated they are willing to meet. However, as yet, there’s been no consideration of the impact of the new roster on staff nor has the employer come back with any proposed changes. Therefore, as it stands the action will go ahead.”

It added: “The members are committed to the action and expect that their walkouts will disrupt passport checks for travellers coming into the UK at Heathrow airport.”

The airport is working closely with the Home Office and Border Force on contingency plans and noted previous such strike action “has been managed successfully”.