Hundreds of Heathrow Border Force staff walk out

Hundreds of Border Force staff at Heathrow Airport have started a four-day strike in a long-running dispute over rosters. About 650 members of the Public and Commercial Services Union have walked out amid complaints that their new rosters are inflexible. Research by the union showed that four in five Heathrow Border Force workers suffer from stress at work. The Home Office has said there are plans in place to minimise disruption and that officials remain open to finding a deal for staff. After the four-day strike, Border Force staff will then work to rule and refuse to work overtime from 4 September until 22 September.<br/>The union has said more than one in four members have taken time off due to stress or related mental health reasons since the introduction of the new rosters in April. Most staff regularly worry about managing home commitments around work, according to the union. General secretary Fran Heathcote said: "This survey shows how badly our members' wellbeing is being affected by the new roster system. These inflexible rosters are preventing parents dropping off and picking up their children from school.<br/>