UK, France, Italy: Travel strikes planned for May
Our manual is kept current promptly whenever a fresh strike occurs in Europe.
Protests happen often in Europe when workers refuse to work to demand improved salaries and working conditions.
Occasionally, protest walkouts are scheduled well in advance, while other times they are declared at the last minute. So, it's always beneficial to confirm if there are any planned walkouts before embarking on your journey.
Fortunately, we have collected all the details regarding the strike and put them in one place for easy reference.
Continue reading to discover the locations and dates of the upcoming walkouts.
In case your flight or train gets suspended or postponed, you can receive a fresh ticket or reimbursement. Check out our handbook to get all the particulars.
Heathrow Border Force Staff To Strike In April And May In UK
In the beginning of this month, employees from Border Force in Heathrow Airport walked out from their jobs. Now, there is a possibility of another small-scale strike from 3rd to 18th May called 'work to rule', where workers will only do the essential tasks mentioned in their contract. This may lead to more problems and delays.
The largest airport in the UK is preparing for a potential work stoppage in May, with nearly 800 employees from different sectors considering going on strike due to outsourcing schemes. Originally, the strike was planned to begin on May 7th, but it has been postponed for two days to permit talks. Unless an agreement is made, the strike is set to take place from May 9th to May 13th, with the potential to cause significant disturbance.
Gatwick Airport: Catering Strikes Cancelled
Travelers flying with easyJet and TUI from Gatwick Airport in London can now rely on having access to food during their travels, as Dnata's catering workers have settled their issues with the airlines. As part of the agreement, the workers have negotiated for the return of their shift allowances and for receiving their full back pay.
Approximately 100 employees, such as drivers of heavy goods vehicles and workers in the warehouse, had expressed their intention to go on strike for a period of 12 days during the months of April and May.
May Train Strike Hits Commuters
Train operators who work on heavily-traveled commuting routes in the UK will initiate a strike from May 7 to May 9 as a result of a prolonged disagreement regarding compensation and work conditions.
Several train operators will go on strike on different days this week. On Tuesday, c2c, Greater Anglia, Great Northern, Southeastern, South Western Railway, Thameslink, and Southern will be affected. On Wednesday, passengers of Avanti West Coast, London Northwestern Railway, Chiltern, CrossCountry, East Midlands Railway, GWR, and West Midlands Trains might face disruptions. Finally, on Thursday, LNER, Northern, and TransPennine Express will join the strikes.
Train conductors who are part of the ASLEF union will be participating in an overtime restriction period between May 6th and 11th. This may result in the cancellation of services on certain routes.
Italian Train Strikes Wreak Havoc
On May 19th, Trenitalia and Trenord will face a nationwide strike as their train operators will go on a walkout.
There are additional strikes scheduled for regional trains in various parts of Italy such as Naples on May 10th, Friuli Venezia Giulia on May 17th and Liguria on May 27th and 28th.
The workers who operate the engines will stop working for a duration of 23 hours beginning at 3:00 AM on May 19th and ending at 2:00 AM on May 20th.
Vueling Staff In France To Strike On Bank Holiday
The SNPNC-FO and CGT unions of French cabin crew have issued a warning that a strike may happen from 8th to 12th May. As per the unions, almost 90% of cabin crew and 95% of cabin managers are anticipated to participate in the strike.
The strike will impact trips operated by the economical Spanish airline called Vueling. If laborers' appeals aren't satisfied, the conflict related to labor standards may go on until the following month.
Potential Strikes Threaten Paris Olympics
The union members of CGT-RATP have declared their intention to strike for a period of seven months starting from the 5th of February till the 9th of September. The strike could have a major impact on the bus and metro network in Ile-de-France, which may cause disruptions even during the Olympic Games scheduled for this summer.
On 9 April, the French Senate passed a proposal that enables the government to prohibit transportation strikes for specific durations annually to prevent disturbance during significant occasions like Paris 2024. The bill also demands an earlier notification of strikes and higher requirements for minimum service.
The proposed legislation is encountering resistance and needs to be accepted by the French National Assembly prior to being enforced as a law.
Employees of the publicly-owned transportation corporation have decided to go on strike due to insufficient wages.
Train Strikes In Germany Called Off
Deutsche Bahn and the GDL train drivers' union finally reached an accord on 25th March. This put an end to more than five months of discussions and strikes.
Under the agreement, GDL has committed to refrain from carrying out any strikes until February 2026 at the earliest.
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