Security staff at Heathrow Airport have announced an escalation of strike action.
Airport staff with participate in a fresh wave of strikes taking place every weekend of the summer break. The Unite union said more than 2,000 security guards will walk out for 31 days from June 24.
For the first time, security officers based at Terminal 3 will join colleagues from Terminal 5 and campus security in the strike action.
A Tory MP believes union bosses should be banned from launching strikes at Heathrow Airport as thousands of families face a summer of holiday hell.
Henry Smith, chairman of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on General Aviation, said that he believes this is a ‘deliberate act to damage the UK economy and destabilise the Government’.
Mr Smith, noting how the strike action will be ‘very disruptive’, said he thinks the proposed minimum service legislation should consider key services at ports like ports like Heathrow because they are ‘vital parts of the UK’s economic infrastructure.’
The workers will strike on:
- June 24, 25, 28, 29 and 30
- July 14-16, 21-24, and 28-31
- August 4-7, 11-14, 18-20 and 24-27
An airport spokesperson said: “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.
“Passengers can rest assured that we will do everything we can to minimise strike disruption so they can enjoy their hard-earned summer holidays.”