700 workers at London's Heathrow Airport to strike for 3 days

LONDON

Around 700 workers at London’s Heathrow Airport will go to strike for three days from Nov. 18 over a pay dispute, the Unite Union said Friday.

The strike at London’s busiest air travel hub will coincide with the start of the World Cup in Qatar on Nov. 20 and thousands of football fans may be affected.

“Workers employed by Dnata and Menzies at Heathrow will take three days of strike action beginning on Friday 18 November, in a dispute over pay,” the Unite said in a statement.

“The strike action will begin in the early hours of Friday 18 November and it will be completed in the early hours of Monday 21 November,” the statement said.

“It will lead to disruption, cancellations and delays at Heathrow terminals 2, 3 and 4. The strike action will particularly affect Qatar Airways, which has scheduled an additional 10 flights a week during the World Cup."

The industrial action will involve 700 employees, including ground-handling, airside transport and cargo workers.

“Our members at Dnata and Menzies undertake highly challenging roles and are simply seeking a decent pay rise," said Unite General Secretary Sharon Graham.

"Both companies are highly profitable and can fully afford to make a fair pay increase. The owners and directors are simply lining their own pockets rather than paying their workers fairly.

“The workers at Heathrow will have Unite’s complete support during this dispute.”

The World Cup will start in Qatar on Nov. 20 and end with the final game on Dec. 18.

The UK has seen dozens of strikes from workers in postal, railway and other services amid a cost of living crisis in recent months.