UK’s Heathrow Airport Challenged by ‘Major Disruption’ As Pay Strike Looms
Passengers queue to check in, at Heathrow Airport in London, Monday, Nov. 29, 2021.
Britain’s nurses have been the latest to join industrial action embarked on by rail, postal and dockworkers as pay offers from employers deplorably fail to keep up with surging inflation while the bitter energy crisis grips Europe.The UK’s largest and busiest airport – London’s Heathrow – is heading for a period of “major disruption” to be triggered by industrial action.At least 350 ground handlers, responsible for services such as sorting and identifying baggage to transferring it to the right location, are geared up for a strike over wages starting Friday and to last three days, according to a press release issued by Britain’s Unite union.As staffers employed by aviation firm Menzies go ahead with the 72-hour strike, Britain’s aviation hub was on course to witness “disruption, delays and flight cancellations leaving Heathrow Terminals 2, 3 and 4”, the trade union’s press release stated.Air Canada, Lufthansa, Qantas, American Airlines, Swiss Air, TAP Air Portugal, Austrian Airlines, Egyptair, Aer Lingus and Finnair have been singled out as the most likely to suffer from the industrial action.Air traffic disruptions linked with staff shortages and surging demand have been a menace at the Europe’s busiest airport all summer, after travel picked up post the COVID-19 pandemic. The hub was even forced to install a daily passenger cap in July to tackle the situation. The cap was subsequently extended to October.
WorldBritish Nurses Who Voted to Strike Over Pay Take Patients’ Leftover Food to Survive10 November, 14:33 GMTAll across the UK, thousands of workers from a plethora of industries have been resorting to walk-outs or considering strike action, insisting that against the background of the cost of living crisis, current wages are miserably lagging behind inflation. In the 12 months to October 2022, the Consumer Prices Index (CPI) rose by 11.1 percent – up from 10.1 percent in September 2022. Earlier this month, tens of thousands of Britain’s nurses voted for industrial action for the first time, demanding a pay rise of 5 percent above inflation after National Health Service (NHS) staff saw their salaries plummet by up to 20 percent in real terms over the past 10 years. Strikes are expected to begin before the end of this year, with the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) vowing it will be carried out “legally and safely at all times”.A wave of industrial unrest inundated the UK this year, with industry staff involved ranging from rail to seaport and postal workers. Even barristers threatened to follow suit, and only rethought the move after accepting the Department of Justice’s offer of a 15 percent increase in legal aid fees.The crippling inflation figures coupled with the energy crisis are fueled in part by backfiring sanctions set in place by western countries to “punish” Russia for its ongoing special military operation in Ukraine. The sanctions caused significant supply chain disruption and prompted food and energy costs to soar worldwide. 
‘Most Widespread Strike by Train Drivers Since 1996’ to Disrupt Rail Traffic in Britain on Saturday30 July, 06:00 GMT
