People should be prepared for airport travel disruption during strike action this Christmas, a Border Force leader has warned.
Safety and security at borders will be “non-negotiable” during the industrial action by Border Force staff and there were “robust plans in place” to limit the effect, chief operating officer Steve Dann insisted.
About 1,000 Border Force staff who are members of the Public and Commercial Services Union will strike every day from Friday to the end of the year, except December 27.
Action is being taken in a dispute over pay, pensions and jobs by workers at Heathrow, Birmingham, Cardiff, Gatwick, Glasgow and Manchester airports, and the port of Newhaven in East Sussex.
“Border Force’s number one priority is to keep our borders safe and secure," Mr Dann said. "That’s something that we will not compromise on. It’s non-negotiable.
“In anticipation of the strike action, Border Force has for a number of months undertaken extensive planning, and we’ve been working with the travel industry and continue to work closely with all UK ports to assess the impacts of the announcement on the travelling public.
“We do have robust plans in place to minimise delays to passengers, but we’ve been very clear from the start that people should be prepared for disruption and take action to plan ahead.”
UK strikes – in pictures
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Passengers view departure boards at Kings Cross station in London on Wednesday, during a strike by the Rail, Maritime and Transport union. PA -
Members of the Communication Workers Union on the picket line in Whitechapel, East London, as Royal Mail workers strike over jobs, pay and conditions. PA -
Royal Mail delivery lorries parked idle in the Whitechapel delivery depot. PA -
Mick Lynch, centre, general secretary of the RMT union, joins members on the picket line outside Euston station in London. PA -
CWU members on the picket line in Whitechapel. PA -
Empty platforms at Paddington station in London. PA -
The RMT picket line at Euston station. PA
There are fears that delays in checking the passports of arriving passengers could lead to long queues and even people being held on planes, disrupting later departures.
Military personnel and volunteers from the civil service have been trained to step in.
“Military personnel and volunteers from across the Civil Service have been trained to support Border Force at airports and ports through the strike period," Mr Dann said.
“We have a reasonable expectation that by using this contingency workforce, we will be able to deliver a service that keeps most, if not all ports open.”
Strikes across the UK - in pictures
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National Health Service cleaning staff hold placards during a strike outside a hospital, in London. EPA -
A traveller walks under the departures board of an empty Euston Station in London, as rail workers strike. Getty Images -
General secretary of the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Mick Lynch speaks outside the Department of Transport in London, after talks with the government. Getty Images -
Employees of bus operator Abellio strike outside a depot in London. EPA -
University and College Union members take part in a 'March for higher education', in Leeds. EPA -
Postal delivery vans are parked as Royal Mail workers strike, in Leeds. EPA -
Employees demonstrate during a rally held by University and College Union members, in central London. EPA -
Royal Mail workers strike in Leeds. EPA -
Members of the Educational Institute of Scotland join teachers at a rally outside the Scottish Parliament, in Edinburgh. AP
“Our contingency workforce will not be able to operate with the same efficiency as our permanent workforce.
“As in the case with any industrial action, we simply will not know the levels of Border Force permanent officers who will report for duty each day and what the operational impacts might be.”
Border Force workers at UK airports to strike over Christmas - video
He said Border Force would “expect operators to make any adaptions” to ensure a “smooth flow of passengers”.
Travellers are being urged to use e-gates if they can, check with operators that there has been no change to their service, and to be “kind and patient” with staff at Border Force.
