'Major disruption' expected at Heathrow Airport as workers go on strike
17 November 2022, 20:13
Passengers at Heathrow Airport have been warned to expect delays and cancelled flights tomorrow as workers go on strike.
The workers union, Unite, has said there will be 'major disruption' as ground handlers employed by Menzies strike in an ongoing dispute over pay.
Unite says that current pay offers are 'far below' the current real inflation rate of 14.2% and that Menzies are 'being greedy' and that they can 'fully afford' to make a higher pay offer but are being 'stubborn' in refusing to.
The 350 workers will begin the 72 hour stoppage at 4am on Friday November 18.
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The dispute will lead to disruption and some cancelled flights leaving Heathrow Terminals 2, 3 and 4.
The strike action will particularly affect Air Canada, American Airlines, Luthansa, Swiss Air, Air Portugal, Austrian Airlines, Qantas, Egypt Air, Aer Lingus and Finnair.
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “Unite’s members at Menzies play a critical role in ensuring that planes operate safely at Heathrow. Menzies is a wealthy company and it can fully afford to pay its workers a decent pay increase. It is greed not need which is preventing a fair pay offer being made.
“Unite’s members at Menzies will receive the union’s comprehensive support.”
Unite regional officer Kevin Hall said: “The strike action will inevitably cause serious delays for passengers at Heathrow but this dispute is entirely of Menzies own making. It has had every opportunity to make our members’ a fair pay offer, but it has stubbornly refused to do so.”
