Air passengers flying through London’s Heathrow Airport – including those with Aer Lingus – have been warned to expect some levels of disruption this weekend due to strike action by ground handling staff employed by airport logistics company Menzies.
The Unite trade union – which represents the 350 workers who started a 72-hour strike over pay conditions at 4am today (Friday, November 18) – warned the strike action will mainly affect flights at Heathrow’s Terminals 2,3 and 4.
It said flight delays or even cancellations may hit certain airlines – including Aer Lingus, Finnair, Qantas, Swiss, Austrian Airlines, American Airlines, Air Portugal, Egypt Air and Lufthansa.
Unite regional officer Kevin Hall said: “The strike action will inevitably cause serious delays for passengers at Heathrow but this dispute is entirely of Menzies own making. It has had every opportunity to make our members’ a fair pay offer, but it has stubbornly refused to do so.”
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “Unite’s members at Menzies play a critical role in ensuring that planes operate safely at Heathrow. Menzies is a wealthy company and it can fully afford to pay its workers a decent pay increase. It is greed not need which is preventing a fair pay offer being made.
“Unite’s members at Menzies will receive the union’s comprehensive support.”
