UK Strikes Expand to Passport Control

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Facts

  • Chief Operating Officer of the UK's Border Force, Steve Dann, has warned airline and port passengers to expect disruptions over Christmas as approximately 1k passport control workers are scheduled to walk out over the festive season.
  • Dann stated that the government expects to keep "most if not all ports" open but didn't rule out closures. Border Force members will strike every day from Friday until the end of the year, apart from Dec. 27, with more than 10k flights scheduled to land at airports during that period.
  • Military personnel and volunteers from the Civil Service have been trained to step in during the strikes. Passengers will also be affected by further transport strikes from the Rail, Maritime, and Transport union on Christmas Eve.
  • The strikes over pay and pensions affect Heathrow, Birmingham, Cardiff, Gatwick, Glasgow, and Manchester airports, as well as Newhaven port.
  • This comes as the UK faces industrial action from several sectors, including the National Health Service, National Highway, and Railway Service, as workers struggle to keep up with inflation.

Sources: BBC News, Guardian, and Independent.

Narratives

  • Right narrative, as provided by Telegraph. Several public sector unions simultaneously deciding to hold strikes in the run-up to Christmas, one of the busiest times of the year, is no coincidence. Even if there's space for sympathy, workers are being used as pawns in an attempt by unions to gain political power. However, with the UK having grown in affluence and consumer expectations since the raging trade unionism in the 1970s, unions shouldn't expect similar success.
  • Left narrative, as provided by Mirror. Public opinion surrounding the strikes has shifted unavoidably due to the potential disruption to Christmas plans. However, morally backing the strikes is still the right thing to do. These essential workers face a government trying to nickel-and-dime them out of a necessary and well-deserved pay increase, all while dealing with record-high inflation. Even if it inconveniences Brits, it's important to secure fair pay and pensions for workers across the UK.