Easter travel chaos as Border Force guards threaten strike in Heathrow over busy holidays
BRIT holidaymakers face Easter travel chaos as staff at the UK’s busiest airport threaten to strike.
Hundreds of workers at Heathrow Airport could walk out in the coming weeks, causing a nightmare for families jetting to and from their next holiday break.
More than 600 staff are currently in the process of voting on whether or not they strike during the Easter period.
The Border Force guards are considering industrial action after hearing workers’ shifts may change, and have until March 22 to make a call.
They claimed staff’s rosters and shift patterns were looking to be changed, to the anger of workers.
If the staff vote to walk out, it will likely impact families trying to fly home from their Easter half-term break.
Fran Heathcote, the Public and Commercial Services Union (PCSU) general secretary, said: “Our members at Heathrow are united in their opposition to these draconian plans.
“One aspect of the plans would force workers to choose between finding another job or losing their allowances.
“Another would see others having to sign up to new, exhausting shifts or leaving altogether.
“This is an appalling way to treat long-serving, dedicated staff, so it’s no wonder we’ve recruited hundreds of members in recent weeks.”
Heathrow Airport told the Telegraph they would work with staff to try to reduce chaos for passengers, should the walk-out go ahead.
Legally, the strike would could only take place at April 5 at the earliest – creating a nightmare for families returning from getaways.
It comes as the rail minister this week admitted there is nothing the government can do to ensure minimum service levels are implemented during train strikes.
Huw Merriman said train companies might never use the recently law introduced to minimise the impact of industrial action.
The latest strikes were meant to be the first test of the legislation, aimed at ensuring train operators could run 40% of services.
But none of the train companies used it as they bowed to the pressure of union threats.
Asked what the point of the legislation was, Mr Merriman told the Commons Transport Committee: “Our job is to do everything we can to ensure that minimum service levels can be utilised.
“The decision as to whether they are utilised is one for the employer. And to date, they have determined not to.”