BREAKING: Heathrow T3 and T5 security strikes almost every weekend over summer announced

I recently wrote about Unite union members at T3 voting for strike action, which would add a further 600 security guards to those already taking strike action at T5. Although the strikes have generally caused minor disruption, with the BA First wing being closed on some days and some cancellations for the first strike, generally they have not been much of an issue. However, if they can no longer move staff from T3 to plug the gaps, we could start to see some delays at security.

The union has announced 31 days of strike action beginning on Saturday 24 June. The strikes will involve over 2,000 security officers. For the first time security officers based at Terminal Three will join their colleagues from Terminal Five and campus security on the picket line. Campus security are responsible for checking all personnel and vehicles going airside.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “Unite is putting Heathrow on notice that strike action at the airport will continue until it makes a fair pay offer to its workers. Make no mistake, our members will receive the union’s unflinching support in this dispute. 

“HAL has got its priorities all wrong. This is an incredibly wealthy company, which this summer is anticipating bumper profits and an executive pay bonanza. It’s also expected to pay out huge dividends to shareholders, yet its workers can barely make ends meet and are paid far less than workers at other airports.”

The workers have rejected the current pay offer of 10.1 per cent, with Unite claiming that the average remuneration of HAL workers has fallen by 24 per cent in real terms after their previous “fire and rehire” during Covid. 

The union claim that delays, disruption and cancellations will be inevitable as a result of the strike action. But then they said that the last few strikes as well. There is certainly a higher risk in my opinion.

The Unite union security staff will be on strike on 24, 25, 28, 29 and 30 June and 14, 15, 16, 21, 22, 23, 24, 28, 29, 30, 31 July and 4, 5, 6, 7, 11, 12, 13, 14, 18, 19, 20, 24, 25, 26, and 27 August.

These dates include Eid festival (28, 29 and 30 June), the beginning of the school holidays (21, 22, 23 and 24 July) and the August bank holiday (24, 25, 26 and 27 August).

Heathrow spokesperson said,

“Passengers can rest assured that we will do everything we can to minimise strike disruption so they can enjoy their hard-earned summer holidays. Unite has already tried and failed to disrupt the airport with unnecessary strikes on some of our busiest days and we continue to build our plans to protect journeys during any future action.

“The simple fact remains that the majority of colleagues do not support Unite’s strikes. There is a two-year inflation-beating pay rise ready for colleagues, if only Unite would allow them to have a say. We will continue talks with Unite about resolving this issue.”