Heathrow construction workers to strike

Builders working on Heathrow airport’s terminal five have confirmed that there will be a Christmas and New Year strike over pay.

Hundreds of construction workers will walk out on 16 and 19 December and 20 and 23 January over demands for an extra £1 an hour to cover travelling costs to the T5 site.

The GMB union has urged the employer, Laing O’Rourke, to meet for discussions to settle the dispute after its members rejected the extra 22p an hour offered.

A GMB spokesman said the strength of feeling over the issue was growing stronger and that more people had joined the union since the trouble began.

Members of the Transport and General Workers union will also take part in the strike. Overtime will be banned over the weekends when the industrial action takes place.