British Airways workers set to strike at Heathrow

By Lauren Arena / 23 June 2022 

Travellers at Heathrow Airport will face further disruptions this summer after British Airways check-in and ground staff voted on Thursday to take industrial action over an ongoing pay dispute.

The GMB union, which represents BA workers at Heathrow, said a formal strike will be confirmed in the coming days and will likely take place during the peak summer holiday period.

According to a statement by the union, 95 per cent of BA staff who voted said they were prepared to strike, on a turnout of more than 80 per cent.

Unions members are “furious because a 10 per cent pay cut imposed on them during the pandemic has not been reinstated”. The union claims that while other BA workers have been given a 10 per cent bonus, check-in staff have received nothing.

“BA have tried to offer our members crumbs from the table in the form of a 10 per cent one-off bonus payment, but this doesn’t cut the mustard,” said GMB national officer, Nadine Houghton.

“GMB members at Heathrow have suffered untold abuse as they deal with the travel chaos caused by staff shortages and IT failures. At the same time, they’ve had their pay slashed during BA’s callous fire and rehire policy.”

She added: “It’s not too late to save the summer holidays – other BA workers have had their pay cuts reversed; [now] do the same for ground and check in staff and this industrial action can be nipped in the bid.”

In response, British Airways said it is “extremely disappointed” over the course of action chosen by union members, and that the airline will keep customers updated as the situation evolves.

“Despite the extremely challenging environment and losses of more than £4 billion, we made an offer of a 10 per cent payment which was accepted by the majority of other colleagues. We are fully committed to work together to find a solution, because to deliver for our customers and rebuild our business we have to work as a team,” it said in a statement.

The Business Travel Association (BTA) has also hit back at the union.

In a statement, BTA CEO Clive Wratten, urged all stakeholders to work better together and warned their actions will “crush confidence in international travel”.

“British Airways’ workers by voting to strike are toying with the livelihoods of businesspeople, threatening companies across the country and destroying much anticipated holidays,” he said.