Bryan HayUnite has announced that refuelling staff at Heathrow, employed by AFS, are set to strike for 72 hours from 4th May, potentially causing significant delays and groundings of flights. This industrial action, which will coincide with the May Day bank holiday, could disrupt services for 35 airlines, including major carriers like Virgin, Delta, Emirates, and Air France.
The strike comes in response to AFS imposing severe cuts on the terms and conditions for new staff recruited since January 2024. AFS, a collaboration among several multi-million pound oil and gas firms including Air BP, Total, Q8 Air, and Valero, has particularly targeted the pension and sickness benefits of its most recent employees.
Unite has criticised the creation of a two-tier workforce, which it believes sets a dangerous precedent for deteriorating conditions across the company. Sharon Graham, Unite’s general secretary, condemned AFS’s actions, stating: “AFS is behaving appallingly by attacking the T&Cs of new members of staff – those it views as the easiest to intimidate. But Unite will not stand for such bully-boy tactics and we will be backing our members in their fight for improved pensions and sick pay for all staff.”
Kevin Hall, Unite regional officer, echoed this sentiment, highlighting the union’s commitment to preventing a decline in worker conditions. He remarked: “Our members recognise that if they allow this attack on their conditions to take place, before long this will become the norm. Unite won’t allow that to happen and is standing firm with our members on the picket line. AFS will have to answer directly to the airlines and passengers for the disruption caused by their unmerited actions.”
