BRITISH AIRWAYS (BA) workers at Heathrow airport overwhelmingly voted to strike in a dispute over pay today.

Members of the GMB and Unite, including check-in staff, will now decide on strike dates, which the unions said were likely to be held during the peak summer holiday period.

GMB national officer Nadine Houghton said: “With grim predictability, holidaymakers face massive disruption thanks to the pig-headedness of BA.

“BA has tried to offer our members crumbs from the table in the form of a 10 per cent one-off bonus payment, but this doesn’t cut the mustard.

“Our members need to be reinstated the 10 per cent they had stolen from them last year with full back pay and the 10 per cent bonus which other colleagues have been paid.”

With union members at the airport suffering “untold abuse” as they deal with the travel chaos while having their pay slashed due to a fire and rehire policy, Ms Houghton questioned what the airline thought would happen.

“It’s not too late to save the summer holidays – other BA workers have had their pay cuts reversed,” she said.

“Do the same for ground and check-in staff and this industrial action can be nipped in the bud.”

Unite officer Russ Ball blamed BA for the strike after the company brutally cut jobs and pay during the pandemic despite receiving government support.

He said BA has insulted its workforce, who are being treated as “second-class citizens.

“The company has a short window of opportunity to reinstate our members’ pay before strikes are called,” Mr Ball said.

“I urge BA not to squander that opportunity.”

In a statement, BA said it was “extremely disappointed” in the decision and that it is fully committed to finding a solution.