Was Heathrow strike picket called off for coronation?

Heathrow strike activists and supporters protested last week (Picture: Unite London and Eastern)

A strange set of events surrounding the Heathrow security workers’ strike took place last weekend.

Around 1,400 security workers, the people who search individuals and vehicles entering the airport site, had launched a three-day strike on Thursday over pay.  If followed powerful action earlier in the year. The strike was set to continue on Friday and Saturday as well. 

But a leading local Unite official told some members that the strike was cancelled on Saturday after the union received a “ceasing order” based on local by-laws. Another rep confirmed to Socialist Worker this was what had happened, and sent a copy of the apparently relevant regulations. 

This seemed strange because the all-encompassing by-laws give the airport authorities total powers to clamp down on any sort of demonstration or gathering on its site. But they cannot outlaw a strike.

Socialist Worker investigated if this was true. A Heathrow airport official source said that it was “false” that legal threats were used and that “the strike went ahead today as planned”.

Then the Unite press office responded to say there had been no use of by-laws. Instead, “We decided not to post pickets on Saturday due to the coronation so our members could spend time with their families.” This seems more likely, but all a bit mysterious.

Was it just miscommunication, or did the message of legal moves go out because it was better than saying a parasites’ parade had priority over pickets? 

Further action was scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday this week and then later in the month. It ought to go ahead.

The union says the security officers at Heathrow make up to £6,000 a year less than their counterparts at Stansted or Gatwick airports. Even workers at the much smaller Luton Airport make around £500 a year more, Unite said.

The latest pay offer, which Heathrow says is for a 10 percent rise, is well below the RPI inflation rate. It follows just a 4 percent pay uplift and £2,000 lump sum payment last year. 

Unite says Heathrow workers’ average pay has fallen by 24 percent in real terms since 2017. That’s in stark contrast to the loot of chief executive John Holland-Kaye. Between 2020 and 2021, his pay soared from £800,000 to £1.5 million, a rise of 88 percent.

It’s right to strike, and strike to win.