Border Force staff set for walkout during half-term
Border Force officers in major ports including in France are to strike during half-term in the long-running dispute over jobs, pay and conditions.
Around 1,000 members of the Public and Commercial Services union (PCS) in Dover, Calais, Coquelles and Dunkirk will strike on 17, 18, 19 and 20 February. The announcement comes ahead
of a walkout today by 100,000 civil servants in 123 government departments in what is the biggest civil service strike in a decade.
PCS general secretary Mark Serwotka said: “Our members perform vital roles. We therefore expect our strikes tomorrow will have a massive impact on public services. And the strikes we have announced today in the Border Force will impact on people returning from their holidays during the half-term period.
“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 for 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 for next year.”
PA
Want your views to be included in The Independent Daily Edition letters page? Email us by tapping here letters@independent.co.uk. Please include your address