England (Commonwealth) _ Heathrow airport security employees will take part in a new wave of strikes this summer, potentially affecting passengers at the UK’s largest airport.
The strikes have been planned to inflict the most disruption on vacationers during the summer season, with up to 10,000 flights canceled in August alone.
According to Cirium data, 42,600 flights are planned to depart from London Heathrow between June 24th and August 27th, with 20,162 of those scheduled to depart on strike days, which total 21.
Approximately 2,000 officers from the Unite union will go on strike for 31 days between June 24 and August 27. Terminals 3 and 5, as well as non-passengers inspections, will be disrupted, and the activity may cause security lines to form.
Unite called it a “significant escalation” in its pay dispute with the airport. It stated that workers had rejected a “below-inflation pay offer of 10.1%,” despite the fact that the greater rate of inflation, RPI, is actually 11.4%.
Due to Heathrow’s contingency plans, previous strikes appeared to have minimal impact on passengers, but the new wave of strikes will include Terminal 3 workers for the first time.
Heathrow is one of the busiest airports in the world, and passengers from all across the United Kingdom may be affected. The strikes may cause lengthier security lines, but it is unclear whether any airlines will cancel flights, according to the BBC’s transport correspondent Katy Austin.
The walkouts take place at peak travel seasons, such as the Eid festival (28, 29, and 30 June), the start of the school holidays (21, 22, 23, and 24 July), and the August bank holiday (24, 25, 26 and 27 August).
‘Unite has already tried and failed to disrupt the airport with pointless strikes on some of our busiest days, and we continue to build our measures to protect journeys during any disruption,’ said a Heathrow spokesperson. They also stated that negotiations with the union to resolve the disagreement will continue.
“The simple fact is that the vast majority of colleagues oppose Unite’s strikes.” If only Unite will let them have a say, there is a two-year inflation-beating pay increase waiting for them.”
‘Yet again, we have a chief executive who thinks it is appropriate to increase his wages by an eye-watering 88 percent, from £800,000 to a startling £1.5 million, while denying his own workers a decent pay rise,’ said Sharon Graham, Unite general secretary.
‘With additional workers being balloted and disruption expected over the summer, this dispute is sure to worsen.’ He stated.
Many people looking forward to a much-needed vacation, as well as those traveling on business, will be wondering how the strikes will affect their trip.
The following dates are scheduled for the strike: June 24, 25, 28, 29, and 30; July 14, 15, 16, 21, 22, 23, 24, 28, 29, and 30; and August 4, 5, 6, 7, 11, 12, 13, 14, 18, 19, 20, 24, 25, 26, and 27.
