Heathrow Border Force officers announce strike dates

More than 600 Border Force officers at Heathrow Airport are to take four days’ strike action from April 11.

The Public and Commercial Services (PCS) union members, who carry out immigration controls and passport checks, last week voted by 90% to walk out over a new roster and imposed changes to shift patterns that could see as many as many 250 forced out by the end of next month.

The changes will particularly affect workers with disabilities or those with caring responsibilities.

PCS general secretary Fran Heathcote said: “Ministers have fourteen days to withdraw these unfair and unnecessary proposals or our members at Heathrow will take strike action.

“Consultation with staff has been a farce, with our members having little or no choice about the new arrangements.

“Ripping up flexible working arrangements is no way to treat staff especially, as the government says, their work is critical to our nation’s security.

“Some members are heart-broken that the Border Force has become ‘unprofessional and inhumane’.

“If the government is serious about border security, it should look at Border Force officers’ job security, look after its staff, scrap the changes and work with us to protect jobs and working conditions.”

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