Heathrow may make job cuts if pay talks break down

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Heathrow says it may make thousands of compulsory job cuts if talks over pay with unions break down

By Harriet Dennys, Financial Mail On Sunday

Published: | Updated:

Heathrow says it may make thousands of compulsory job cuts if talks over pay with the unions break down tomorrow. 

Airport bosses say they hope to avoid job losses through cost-cutting proposals that would reduce some workers’ pay by 37 per cent but raise pay for others. It would also scrap January’s 4 per cent pay rise. 

Last week, Unite and other unions rejected Heathrow’s initial proposals. If no agreement is reached at the next meeting tomorrow, Heathrow could issue a Section 188 notice triggering formal consultation on job cuts. 

Struggle: Airport bosses say they hope to avoid job losses through cost-cutting proposals

Chief executive John Holland-Kaye has said one in three jobs in the aviation industry is threatened. Heathrow employs 7,500 people directly, suggesting 2,500 jobs could be at risk.

It has also had more than 1,000 applications for its voluntary severance scheme, which closed on Monday. 

Heathrow is burning through £150million a month, and says it has exhausted all other measures to strip out costs. 

A spokesman said: ‘In order to survive, we must adapt to this new reality with a more flexible workforce.’ 

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