A three-day strike by ground workers at London’s Heathrow airport began on Friday and, meanwhile, a social movement among British postal workers has spilled over into next year, potentially affecting the festive period. Strikes, mostly focused on wages but also on working conditions, take place in the United Kingdom in almost all sectors, in a context of high inflation above 11%.
“Heathrow Airport is preparing for a major disruption” from Friday after baggage handlers employed by service provider Menzies decided to go on strike, a Unite union statement said on Thursday. The movement will cause interruptions and delays that “will especially affect flights departing from Heathrow terminals 2, 3 and 4” and the companies “Air Canada, American Airlines, Luthansa, Swiss Air, Air Portugal, Austrian Airlines, Qantas, Egypt Air, Aer Lingus and Finnair”, details Unite.
However, a Heathrow spokesman contacted by AFP on Friday downplayed the impact of the strike: “The airlines involved have already taken steps to deal with (the strike), while no flight cancellations are foreseen.”
“Until 2023”
At the same time, postal workers have extended several planned strikes until 2023 that could affect mail and parcel distribution during the key holiday season. Workers at the state logistics company Correos have decided to extend a strike until next year, according to a statement from the CWU sectoral union.
“The UK Post Office will see this year’s strikes extend into 2023 as workers fight dramatic real (inflation-adjusted) pay cuts,” the CWU statement published on Thursday said.
A Post Office spokeswoman contacted on Friday said the company “takes note of the (survey) results reported by CWU. Our preferences remain in favor of a (payment) arrangement with CWU.” The employees of Royal Mail, a mail delivery company, in decline and which recently announced thousands of layoffs, also plan to prolong a strike movement that has been going on for months.
Christmas shopping could also be disrupted by a strike announced by security guards at London’s famed luxury department store Harrods.
Source: BFM TV
