イギリスのロンドン・ヒースロー空港の警備員、賃上げで06～08月に計31日間のストライキ

ヨーロッパ経済ニュースEUROPE NNAは2023年06月08日に、イギリスの労働組合ユナイト(Unite)は2023年06月07日に、ロンドン・ヒースロー空港の警備員が賃上げを求め、2023年06～08月に計31日間のストライキを実施すると発表した。2,000人以上が参加する見込みで、夏季の繁忙期に混乱が予想される。

ストは、2023年06月24～25日、28～30日、2023年07月14～16日、21～24日、28～31日、2023年08月04～07日、11～14日、18～20日、24～27日に予定されている。

Union’s Strike Announcement:
Pay strikes announced at Heathrow as airport set for summer of strife

Unite the union has announced a major escalation of its dispute with Heathrow Airport Limited (HAL) over low pay.

31 days of strikes

The union has announced 31 days of strike action beginning on Saturday 24 June (see notes to editors for full list below). The strikes will involve over 2,000 security officers.

For the first time security officers based at Terminal Three, who voted for strike action last week, will join their colleagues from Terminal Five and campus security on the picket line. Campus security are responsible for checking all personnel and vehicles going airside.

Terminal Three strikes

The walkout by workers at Terminal Three will result in a large number of airlines facing the prospect of disruption, delays and cancellations this summer. These include: Virgin, Emirates, Qatar, United, American and Delta. The extensive walkouts at Terminal Five will heavily affect British Airway’s summer schedule.

Airport on notice

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “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.”

Below inflation offer

The workers have rejected a below inflation pay offer of 10.1 per cent (the true rate of inflation, RPI, is currently 11.4 per cent). There is widespread bitterness among the workforce about how HAL used the cover of the pandemic to slash wages in real terms, using a ‘fire and rehire’ strategy. Unite’s research has revealed that since 2017, the average remuneration of HAL workers has fallen by 24 per cent in real terms.

Disruption inevitable

Unite regional co-ordinating officer Wayne King said: “Delays, disruption and cancellations will be inevitable as a result of the strike action. But this dispute is completely of HAL’s own making.

“The company has been given numerous opportunities to make an offer that meets our members’ expectations and so avoid another period of damaging strike action. Sadly, HAL has stubbornly refused to take this opportunity.”

The dispute could further escalate in the coming weeks.

Notes to editors:

The workers will be on strike on 24, 25, 28, 29 and 30 June and 14, 15, 16, 21, 22, 23, 24, 28, 29, 30 31 July and 4, 5, 6 , 7, 11, 12, 13, 14, 18, 19, 20, 24, 25, 26, and 27 August.

These dates include Eid festival (28, 29 and 30 June), the beginning of the school holidays (21, 22, 23 and 24 July) and the August bank holiday (24, 25, 26 and 27 August).

Heathrow security officers are paid less than workers at other major airports in London and the South East. The officers, who were the highest paid prior to the Covid pandemic, are now paid between £5,000 and £6,000 per annum less than their counterparts at Stansted and Gatwick.

The declining pay for Heathrow employees and the abject low pay for its security officers is in stark contrast to the remuneration of its chief executive John Holland-Kaye. Between 2020 and 2021, his pay soared from £800,000 to £1.5 million – up 88 per cent.
Conclusion

I would avoid travel to/from/through Heathrow Terminals 3 and 5 on these strike days.

The strike days haven’t had too much effect on passengers’ comfort this spring, but it might be a challenge to find this many willing to temporarily replace the striking ones, especially around the summer holidays.

The airlines operating from these terminals will likely issue travel waivers to allow affected passengers to rebook their flights to non-strike days.

Heathrow and Security Officers can always reach a deal before these strikes are set to begin in two weeks.

第3・第5ターミナルの警備員らが参加する見通し。第5ターミナル発着の航空大手　BA(British Airways/ブリティッシュ・エアウェイズ)のほか、第3ターミナルを利用するヴァージンアトランティック航空(Virgin Atlantic Airways)やエミレーツ航空(Emirates Airline)、カタール航空(Qatar Airways)、デルタ航空(Delta Air Lines)などの運航に影響が及ぶとみられる。

ユナイトは、ヒースロー空港が提示した10.1%の賃上げがRPI(Retail Price Index/小売物価指数)を下回っているとして拒否。実質賃金は2017年から24%低下していると指摘し、公正な賃金が提示されるまでストを継続する方針を示した。

ヒースロー空港は、スト中の混乱を最小限に抑えるためあらゆる手段を講じると説明。ユナイトとの交渉は続けるとしている。

同空港の警備員は、イースター(復活祭)前後の繁忙期と5月にもストを実施した。

昔はここで、よく荷物が荒らされた。

2023年04月19日---イギリスのヒースロー空港警備員が再びスト。
2023年03月31日---イギリスのBA、イースター繁忙期に警備員のストでヒースロー便欠航。
2023年03月21日---イギリスのヒースロー空港、イースター繁忙期に警備員がスト。
2022年12月07日---イギリス空港、2022年末に8日間スト。

https://europe.nna.jp/news/show/2528208
https://www.reuters.com/world/uk/uks-unite-union-announces-33-days-strike-heathrow-2023-06-02/
https://travelweekly.co.uk/news/air/union-confirms-31-dates-for-heathrow-security-staff-strikes
https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2023/jun/07/heathrow-strikes-summer-security-staff-london-pay-row
https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2023/apr/19/heathrow-security-staff-strikes-may-travel-uk-king-charles-coronation
https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2023/may/30/st-mungos-homelessness-charity-workers-month-long-strike
https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2023/jun/02/heathrow-security-guards-expected-to-announce-fresh-strikes