Heathrow Airport services are set to be impacted towards the end of the summer holidays when Border Force officers go on strike.
The Public and Commercial Services (PCS) union has said members who work in terminals 2, 3, 4, and 5 have voted for further action after seven previous days of striking.
After action across April, May and June, as well an additional overtime ban, the dispute has not been resolved.
The ongoing action has the potential to affect Heathrow, one of the busiest airports in the world that serves more than 128,000 people per day on average.
Here is what is happening and how you might be affected.
When are the strikes?
Border Force officers at Heathrow Airport who are part of the PCS union are set to strike from August 31 to September 3.
PCS’s 650 members will then refuse to work overtime until September 22.
Why are they happening?
PCS is locked in a long-running dispute about enforced changes to terms and conditions of Border Force contracts and working hours.
This includes what they claim has been an inflexible rota system that was introduced in April, with staff having flexibility requests refused.
The union said that, since April, around 160 staff have left because of the lack of flexibility and changes to shifts.
It added that women and those with caring responsibilities have been particularly affected by these changes.
“The new roster has seen long-standing and loyal staff forced out of employment in order to manage childcare and family commitments,” the union said in a statement.
“New staff have been refused flexible working applications, despite changes to the law allowing employees to make a statutory request for permanent changes to their contract from day one.”
PCS general secretary Fran Heathcote said too many staff are being forced out.
“They’re being told by managers to choose between caring responsibilities and their jobs, which is no choice at all,” she said.
“The only reason they’re being forced to choose is because their managers are forcing them.
“We know our strike action is likely to cause serious disruption to travellers using Heathrow at the end of the summer, but the strike can be avoided if the employer listens to the concerns of our members.”
A Home Office spokesperson said: “We appreciate the tireless work that Border Force does to keep our borders safe and secure, and we are committed to continuing our conversations with the union so we can find an agreement that works for both the public and staff.”
How will holidaymakers be affected?
As mentioned above, Ms Heathcote said there is potential for “serious disruption”.
Although no flights have been cancelled, Border Force staff going on strike means there could be delays through customs and security.
Lisa Webb, Which? consumer law expert, said ahead of the strikes in May: “Travellers will understandably be concerned about upcoming strikes and what this could mean for them.
“If you are travelling in or out of Heathrow on these days, be prepared for longer queues and delays.”
Wait times were also lengthened in May for another reason, when a fault caused e-gates to crash nationwide.
The Home Office said: “We will have robust plans in place to minimise disruption where possible, but we urge passengers to check the latest advice from operators before they travel.”
