Heathrow Strike Update

Heathrow Strike Suspended As Concessions Gained

PCS have suspended the strike action at Heathrow PCP after members meetings voted to accept the concessions gained to allow negotiations to proceed around a new roster.

Background

Around 450 members of PCS working on immigration passport control at Heathrow Airport have been in dispute with the Department following the implementation of a new roster on 6 January this year. Following this our union balloted for industrial action and members delivered a resounding mandate.

Since that point negotiators have been disappointed with the progress made in discussions with the employer and since 24 March members have been engaged in a work to rule, following which notice was served of a week’s strike action between 1 – 7 April.

However, following recent positive talks with the employer and a number of concessions made formally to PCS we have taken the decision to suspend the action, but PCS is clear that if negotiations falter then we may have no option but to consider returning to the action.

Therefore, members involved in the dispute are advised that the strike action planned to take place from Thursday 1 April will not now go ahead and the work to rule running until 21 April is also suspended.

Concessions

On Friday (26 March) afternoon we received a letter from the Border Force Chief Operating Officer.

The letter suggests that Border Force and the trade unions work together to develop two options for a new roster by 25 April to be put to members. These rosters will be based on the following principles:

• a roster with flexibilities, specifically unlimited head-to-head swaps and a facility for staff to request shifts;

• removal of the current 0000hrs start; and

• the use of outside support to assist with and validate roster development.

Management suggest that the two options are put to a vote of all permanent Heathrow PCP staff during week commencing 3 May. The outcome of the vote would be implemented from 21 June, or any relevant revised date for Step 4 of the government’s roadmap out of lockdown.

If agreement is not made before 25 April, management are prepared to support a period of further engagement until 21 June. The agreed options would then be put to a vote with the most popular roster being implemented from 22 August. In the interim, between 21 June and 21 August, management are prepared to agree a temporary return to the pre-6 January roster. If no agreement is reached on or before 21 June, Border Force will identify two roster options and put them to the vote.

Moving forward

Two well attended member's meetings voted to suspend the action in order to allow negotiations to take place around developing a new roster that will include flexibilities, specifically unlimited head-to-head swaps and a facility for staff to request shifts. There will also be the removal of the current 0000hrs shift start.

The PCS national disputes committee have formally agreed to the strike and action short of strike being suspended and we have written to the employer to notify them.

We will now look to set a programme of negotiating meetings with Border Force up to the 25 April with the intention of coming up with a roster system to present to members.

We do not have the finished article in front of us, but we believe that the concessions so far present a framework to engage positively in order to achieve our aims. However, we are absolutely clear that any roster system will need to be acceptable to members and if the negotiations are not positive then strike action will be back on the table.

We will set a number of meetings in mid-April for members part of the dispute to update you on progress and seek your views on the way forward with the negotiations.

James Cox (Group President), Stephen Taylor (Branch Secretary, PCS Heathrow & West London Branch)