Travelers coming to the United Kingdom should brace for long lines at border check points on March 15 amid a one-day strike by the UK Border Force, the UK government said on Monday.<
MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 13th March, 2023) Travelers coming to the United Kingdom should brace for long lines at border check points on March 15 amid a one-day strike by the UK Border Force, the UK government said on Monday.
"Due to proposed strike action by the Public and Commercial Services (PCS) Union, those who are due to travel into the UK on 15 March and early the following day should be prepared to face longer wait times at UK border control and check with their operator before they travel," the UK Home Office and the UK Border Force said in a joint statement.
Moreover, a twin strike called by several trade unions in France threatens to exacerbate disruption in the movement of people and goods across the English Channel, the statement read.
"It is disappointing that yet again strike action may cause disruption to travellers entering the UK," Border Force Chief Operating Officer Steve Dann was quoted as saying in the statement.
Hundreds of people from across government and the military will step in to help minimize disruption and reduce lines. They will be conducting essential border checks and searching cargoes for harmful goods.
The Public and Commercial Services Union called its 133,000 members out for a nationwide day of all-out strike action to demand fair pay and "pensions justice." Walkouts are planned in nine major cities, including London, Cardiff, Belfast and Edinburgh.
PCS head Mark Serwotka said on Sunday that the union would escalate industrial action if employers still refuse to negotiate. He warned that, with members' permission, this action could continue "right throughout the year."
