Posted 7th Jun 2023
Update 1
23/06 - Heathrow airport security staff have called off strikes after voting to accept a pay offer
Just seen on various news sites, that Heathrow security staff to strike for 31 days between 24th June and 27th August over pay. The action will affect Terminals 3 and 5 as well as campus security. Possibly may impact queues at Heathrow, so if the strikes go ahead and travelling in that period may need to allow more time at the airport just in case.
The strike dates are:
Source: BBC News
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The strike dates are:
- 24, 25, June
- 28, 29 and 30 June
- 14, 15, 16, July
- 21, 22, 23, 24, July
- 28, 29, 30, 31 July
- 4, 5, 6 , 7 August
- 11, 12, 13, 14, August
- 18, 19, 20 August
- 24, 25, 26, 27 August.
Source: BBC News
Related discussions / useful links
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What shops blow up your own helium balloon please?
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sorted byWhile the ceo walked away with a £1+ million bonus. (edited)
The union's press release say they reject the 10.1% pay offer because it is below inflation. It isn't below inflation, but the union wants to use RPI, which they say is 11.4%.
Seems like aggressive action for a 1.3% difference.
In striking for so long they will lose 9% or 12% of their yearly pay - depending on how their pay is calculated.
It'll take 7-9 years to recover that lost pay if they get their 1.3% additional amount.
Can't imagine many stick out that job for that long. And that's ignoring any prior strike action this year, or subsequent action.
When I was last at T5 I left my smartwatch in the tray, I took about 10 steps, turned back to get it and it was gone, I turned the tracker on to look for it and it was, according to the staff, walking away through the doors marked "private" all on its own.
I called everyone you could think to complain and heard nothing.....they literally stole my watch and they all knew.
When I started to get angry and annoyed with them they called security who threatened to actually detain me for claiming someone had stolen my watch. I actually saw my watch it in the tray, I turned away from it for about 15 seconds.
The looks I was receiving told me it looked like a scam and they were all in on it.
Here's the Unions announcement
. They don't mention actual pay either but claim
A lot of people that I know, would love to have that high pay rise.
On one hand, I got it, everyone would like to earn more, but as it was already said - if you don't like your pay and you refuse 10% pay rise, then maybe you should change your job?
I wonder, why they can't post what is the average pay there? I can bet a lot of people would be quite surprised.
currently advertising for new security staff at £12.13 per hour
It'll be chaos. More time is spent in queues than flying short/medium haul as it is. I'm glad that I never have to fly again! (edited)
If you dont like your job conditions get off your lazy ass and go and find a better one.
No one is forcing them to work there.
Im with HOTPOT.
If you dont like your job look for a better one.
The job pays what it pays. if not enough you are in the wrong job. (edited)
Best info I can find is glassdoor, where the salary is probably weighted towards quite outdated salaries and also weighted towards younger, less experienced and lower paid staff. The figure there is just under £14ph with some staff earning over £50k. Not bad for a zero skill job.
The coffee shops and other retail outlets in the Airport pay a higher salary and the hours are better with less stress.
They are not paid anywhere close to £50k sadly (edited)
They care less about misery they put others into who work hard all year and deny them a peaceful trip they deserve.
I have zero sympathy for those people taking those strikes.. ZERO.. is Utter greed at expense of us.
Having had the pleasure of working with the great British public for many years now, I'd ask you all to spare a thought for everyone in the travel industry who is in a customer-facing role (heck, let's include everyone, not just the travel industry). Don't get me wrong, there are some lovely people out there, and they are still the majority, but there are also a significant number of angry, entitled (and often intoxicated) bellends who pitch up at the airport spoiling for conflict. Why are the queues so long? Because not so long ago, a lot of people died due to complacency about security, and because we don't want our customers to be blown to bits by lunatics (sorry). Furthermore, the government has a responsibility to control our borders, which means checks. You can't have it both ways. E-gates do speed things up, but if you travel by air, you will have to queue (again, sorry).
Some of the things I see regularly: people arriving for their outbound holiday flight so blind drunk that they can't negotiate the steps up to the aircraft. They are then gobsmacked when their airline refuses to carry them, often leading to the police being called (and arrests being made). Then there are the ones who think they are entitled to insult and belittle the staff who are there to help them. Believe me, it isn't easy to keep your cool when faced with a screaming eejit with no interest in listening to a word you are saying (even if you are trying your level best to be helpful - and we do try). We all have our stock responses for these situations - my personal favourite is 'I'm sorry, but my obligation to provide you with a service ended when you saw fit to call me a c***.' We are all used to it, but it's challenging work, and much harder than some people think. I've never actually punched anyone, but my dreams are peppered with acts of violence...
Going on holiday can be really stressful, I know. We get it - it's part of our job to get it. All I can say is that if you treat those around you with a bit of basic consideration and respect, you will be doing your part. Aside from that, it is (in my experience) the nice people who get the best service. Always. Nobody's going the extra mile for an ungrateful tool. If five pints of Stella turns you into a knobend, why not try stopping at two? (at least until you reach your destination, at which point you take your chances with local law enforcement).
And finally (back on topic), for the benefit of those who struggle to see the point in airport security (or see it as a non-job), I say this: Lockerbie, the twin towers and a number of other terrible occasions when hundreds of holidaymakers died screaming as the plane they were travelling in plunged to the ground like a dart. Air travel has never been safer than it is now, largely due to huge increases in airport security
Suck it up and queue, because it's a small price to pay.
And maybe show a bit of empathy for the people whose job it is to make it more difficult for terrorists to end you. They deserve fair pay and conditions, as do you.
Was that all a bit too much? Sorry.
Though in saying that I'm for the strike, workers have had awful wage stagnation in this joke of a country for decades. (edited)