Cleaners employed by OCS at British Airways’ offices at Heathrow Airport have announced plans to strike from February 25 to 28, pending negotiations regarding pay.

The union, Unite, claims that many of these workers earn below the living wage and are compelled to rely on food banks due to their poverty-level salaries.

OCS, a cleaning firm that works for British Airways, is currently paying some of its 50,000 employees the legal minimum wage of £11.44 an hour, despite being accredited by the Living Wage Foundation nationwide, which sets salaries at £13.85 per hour in London.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham criticized OCS and British Airways for their wage practices, stating that while both companies are highly profitable, they fail to compensate staff fairly.

In 2023, OCS reported operating profits of £28.3 million, and British Airways' parent company, International Airlines Group (IAG), achieved £1.7 billion in profit during the peak summer season last year.

Graham emphasized the inconsistency in OCS's claims of being a living wage employer, given that many workers are not receiving that wage.

Martin West, a Unite regional officer, noted that there is still opportunity to avert the strike if OCS presents a fair pay offer.

The union has indicated plans for escalating industrial action should negotiations fail to result in satisfactory outcomes.

In related news, Heathrow Airport's CEO Thomas Woldbye unveiled a multibillion-pound investment strategy intended to expand the airport's infrastructure and enhance its capacity.

This initiative includes upgrades for Terminals 2 and 5, a reconfiguration of the airfield layout, and improvements to bus and coach connections.

Woldbye stated this investment program represents the largest private investment in the UK transport network to date and is driven by the necessity for greater capacity at Heathrow to maintain the UK’s status as a global trading hub.

The announcement came in the context of recent political support for a third runway at Heathrow, highlighted in a recent speech by Chancellor Rachel Reeves.

Woldbye expressed concerns that failure to expand would jeopardize the UK’s competitive edge internationally, citing comparable capacities at airports in other major European cities.

Heathrow’s proposed expansion is expected to create significant demand for UK-made steel, with Woldbye confirming a commitment to work with local communities to ensure transparency regarding the expansion’s impact.

He further reiterated that no taxpayer money will fund these developments, asserting that the investment will be entirely privately financed.

The Department for Business and Trade has welcomed the investment announcement as a strong endorsement of the UK’s industrial strategy.

UK Steel has also acknowledged the potential economic benefits of this investment for British steelmaking industries.

However, critics, including the No 3rd Runway Coalition, have raised concerns about the feasibility and economic justification of the proposed expansion plans.

Furthermore, Heathrow reported its busiest January on record in 2023, with over 6.3 million passengers using the four terminals, reflecting a 5% increase from the previous year, with robust growth noted in transatlantic travel.