Security at Heathrow Airport are set to go on strike 33 times over the summer in a dispute over pay.
Unite announced the update this afternoon, plunging the holiday plans of millions of Brits hoping to get away in the coming weeks and months into chaos.
Earlier this year Unite general secretary Sharon Graham described the earnings of security at Britain’s biggest airport as “poverty pay”.
Industrial action is set to take place almost every weekend from June 17 until the end of August, the union says.
Unite wrote on Twitter : “Unite is putting Heathrow on notice that strike action at the airport will continue until it makes a fair pay offer to its workers.
“Make no mistake, our members will receive the union’s unflinching support in this dispute.
“HAL has got its priorities all wrong. This is an incredibly wealthy company, which this summer is anticipating bumper profits and an executive pay bonanza.
“It’s also expected to pay out huge dividends to shareholders, yet its workers can barely make ends [meet] and are paid far less than workers at other airports.”
The move risks causing chaos for any Brits looking to get away for their summer break when the 1,400 officers walk out.
Unite General Secretary Sharon Graham said: “Escalating strike action will inevitably cause disruption, delays and cancellations across Heathrow.”
The officers are based at Heathrow's terminal 5, and its campus security.
Last month Ms Graham said: “Heathrow prides itself on being the UK’s premium airport – it is bigger and handles more flights and cargo than any other.
“So it is frankly indefensible that security officer pay is far lower than other London airports. Imagine, the so-called ‘best in Britain’ is actually a citadel for poverty pay. How can this be justified?"
Unite regional co-ordinating officer Wayne King said in May: “Unite has given Heathrow Airport every opportunity to make an improved pay offer, which could have led to the strike action being suspended.
“Sadly, they refused to grasp the opportunity to make an offer which could meet members’ expectations.”
Unite research has found that since 2017, pay for the airport’s employees has fallen by 24 per cent in real terms.
Meanwhile, chief executive John Hollan-Kaye saw his pay almost double from £800,000 to £1.5million from 2020-21, the union claimed.
Heathrow has been approached for comment.
