A strike by Border Agency staff over jobs and pay has been called off, avoiding disruption at Heathrow and other airports on the busiest day of Olympics arrivals.
Members of the Public and Commercial Services union had planned to walk out tomorrow (Thursday), on the eve of the Olympic Games.
The union claimed the government had performed a U-turn on job cuts, one of the key factors in the dispute.
Speaking one hour before the government was due to launch a high court challenge against the looming strike, the PCS general secretary, Mark Serwotka, said a Home Office decision to hire 1,100 staff – including 800 border employees – had convinced the union to cancel its plans.
“We believe that significant progress means that there is no case for the union to proceed with industrial action tomorrow,” he told The Guardian.
A spokeswoman for airports operator BAA said: “We welcome the decision by the PCS to call off tomorrow’s strike.
“So far passengers arriving for the Olympics have had a smooth journey through Heathrow and it is great news that those arriving tomorrow can also expect a warm welcome to London and the Games.”