The Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS) has announced plans for around 1,000 of its members to go on strike at major French ports over the half-term school holidays.
UK Border Force officers at ports in Dover, Calais, Coquelles and Dunkirk are set to take part in four days of industrial action between February 17 and 20, over pay, pensions, redundancy terms and job security.
It follows similar strike action by Border Office staff over eight days in December at Birmingham, Cardiff, Glasgow, Gatwick, Heathrow and Manchester airports, which was estimated to affect up to 1.8 million passengers.
Data shows up to 1.8 million passengers could be affected by UK Border Force strikes
Commenting on the news PCS general secretary Mark Serwotka, said:
“The strikes we have announced in the Border Force will impact on holiday travel during half term.
“For while the government brought untrained military personnel in to replace our highly-skilled and experienced officers in airports over Christmas, they won’t be able to do that in France.
“The blame for these strikes lies firmly at the feet of ministers who are refusing to put any money on the table.
“They say they will talk about money next year, but our members – who have been offered just a 2 per cent rise at a time when inflation is around 10 per cent – cannot afford to wait until next year.”
“Many civil servants are already having to choose between heating and eating, having to claim the benefits they themselves have to administer, have to go to foodbanks.
“Ministers should be ashamed at how they treat their own workforce and until they come to the table with money for our members, our sustained, targeted campaign of strike action will continue.”
