Heathrow Border Force officers set for industrial action

Hundreds of Border Force officers at Heathrow Airport are to take industrial action for 23 days from the end of the month.

Around 650 members of the Public and Commercial Services union (PCS) will walk out from August 31 to September 3, then work to rule and refuse to work overtime until September 22.

The action is over a long-running dispute about changes to terms and conditions.

The union said around 160 staff have left the Border Force because of the lack of flexibility, while others have been forced to change their working hours and practices.

PCS general secretary Fran Heathcote said: “Our hard-working members at Heathrow take great pride in keeping our country’s border safe, but many are being forced out of the job they love.

“They’re being told by managers to choose between caring responsibilities and their job, which is no choice at all. The only reason they’re being forced to choose is because their managers are forcing them.

“We know our strike action is likely to cause serious disruption to travellers using Heathrow at the end of the summer, but the strike can be avoided if the employer listens to the concerns of our members.”

Published: 16/08/2024 by Radio NewsHub