LONDON (Reuters) – Britain faced a fresh wave of pay strikes on Friday, as ground staff at London Heathrow Airport went on a three-day strike and postal workers planned to extend industrial action.
This year, wages have not kept pace with soaring consumer prices, triggering a cost of living crisis that has led to UK strike action in several sectors.
UK inflation jumped in October to a 41-year high of 11.1% on soaring energy and food bills.
Heathrow is “prepared for major disruption” as baggage handlers employed by contracting firm Menzies went on strike, union Unite said.
The walkout “will cause disruptions, delays and cancellations of flights departing from Heathrow’s Terminals 2, 3 and 4” by airlines including American Airlines, Air Canada, Lufthansa and Swiss Air, he said. added.
“Menzies is a wealthy business and can fully afford to pay its employees a decent pay rise,” United boss Sharon Graham said.
A Heathrow spokesperson insisted no cancellations were expected, adding that they would seek to minimize the impact.
In a separate development, the Communication Workers Union said postal workers had voted overwhelmingly for more strikes this year and next, affecting deliveries ahead of Christmas and office opening hours. From post.
The CWU said officials at Royal Mail, which employs delivery workers, “must wake up and realize that we will not allow them to destroy the livelihoods of…workers”.
Former state-owned Royal Mail recently announced it would cut up to 10,000 jobs, blaming the move in part on staff strikes that contributed to a first-half loss.
The post offices themselves are owned by the government.
Britain has seen strikes this year in various sectors, led by railway workers. State-employed lawyers have also walked off the job as nurses and teachers consider taking action.
In the private sector, luxury London department store Harrods faces the threat of a strike by security guards over the busy holiday season.
This year, wages have not kept pace with soaring consumer prices, triggering a cost of living crisis that has led to UK strike action in several sectors.
UK inflation jumped in October to a 41-year high of 11.1% on soaring energy and food bills.
Heathrow is “prepared for major disruption” as baggage handlers employed by contracting firm Menzies went on strike, union Unite said.
The walkout “will cause disruptions, delays and cancellations of flights departing from Heathrow’s Terminals 2, 3 and 4” by airlines including American Airlines, Air Canada, Lufthansa and Swiss Air, he said. added.
“Menzies is a wealthy business and can fully afford to pay its employees a decent pay rise,” United boss Sharon Graham said.
A Heathrow spokesperson insisted no cancellations were expected, adding that they would seek to minimize the impact.
In a separate development, the Communication Workers Union said postal workers had voted overwhelmingly for more strikes this year and next, affecting deliveries ahead of Christmas and office opening hours. From post.
The CWU said officials at Royal Mail, which employs delivery workers, “must wake up and realize that we will not allow them to destroy the livelihoods of…workers”.
Former state-owned Royal Mail recently announced it would cut up to 10,000 jobs, blaming the move in part on staff strikes that contributed to a first-half loss.
The post offices themselves are owned by the government.
Britain has seen strikes this year in various sectors, led by railway workers. State-employed lawyers have also walked off the job as nurses and teachers consider taking action.
In the private sector, luxury London department store Harrods faces the threat of a strike by security guards over the busy holiday season.
