LONDON, December 7 (Portal) – Border force workers at several major UK airports, including the country’s busiest Heathrow, will go on eight-day strikes this month over pay and threaten to disrupt Christmas traffic.
The PCS union said UK Home Office staff in passport desks would take action at London’s Heathrow and Gatwick airports, as well as a handful of regional airports and the Port of Newhaven.
Union general secretary Mark Serwotka said about 2,000 to 3,000 workers would be involved in the strikes on every day except one between December 23 and 31.
When asked why the union chose the Christmas season, Serwotka said: “These people lose their wages when they go on strike, they do it as a last resort and the union’s job is to make sure the action we demand is taken becomes. “
Immigration Secretary Robert Jenrick said the decision was “unjustifiable” and would ruin the plans of thousands of families and businesses.
“While we are working closely with all UK ports and airports and have solid plans in place to minimize delays in the event of a strike, passengers should be prepared for their plans to be seriously disrupted,” he said in a statement.
Aeronautics analysis firm Cirium estimated that more than 10,000 flights, potentially carrying more than 2 million people, would arrive at the affected airports between December 23 and 31.
Travelers in the UK are already facing significant rail disruptions over the Christmas period as more than 40,000 rail workers were on Christmas Eve 13-14. December, 16-17, 24-27 January 3-4 and 6th-7th
A Heathrow spokesman said the airport was working with airlines and Border Force on plans to mitigate the disruption.
Gatwick said it expects flights to operate normally and it will also make extra airport staff available to help passengers on strike days.
Reporting by Farouq Suleiman, Sarah Young and Kylie MacLellan; Edited by Kate Holton, William Maclean and John Stonestreet
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