Border Force officers at Heathrow to be balloted for more strike action
The members took industrial action last year over the imposition of a new, inflexible roster.
Over 550 Border Force officers at London’s Heathrow Airport are to be balloted for more strike action after managers refused to address their concerns over a new roster system.
In 2024 PCS members took 11 days of strike action and 53 days of action short of a strike in protest at the imposition of the new roster, which forced staff into a complicated pattern of long shifts with a lack of flexibility and disproportionately affects those with caring responsibilities.
Managers agreed to review the system but refused to address issues around work-life balance, the length of shifts and the difficulties in booking and swapping leave.
Members were surveyed in December about the continuing impacts of the new roster. 87% of respondents said they were unhappy or mostly unhappy with the new system with members’ top three priorities being work-life balance, the length of shifts and improvements to swapping shifts.
The ballot for more strike action will run from 6 to 27 February.
PCS general secretary Fran Heathcote said: “We warned managers what would happen if they pushed ahead with these unpopular and unworkable rosters, but they ignored us and pushed ahead anyway.
“They’re now paying the price for their stubbornness and refusal to listen to their staff, some 300 of whom have since left the Border Force.
“If managers want to maintain a well-resourced, well-motivated Border Force, they would work with us to introduce new rosters that better suit their staff.”