Tourists at London Heathrow Airport faced delays today as they made their way to passport control, as hundreds of Border Force officers taken taken industrial action
Photographs capture chaotic scenes at London Heathrow Airport today as hundreds of Border Force staff are on strike.
Tourists have faced lengthy queues going through passport control after arriving at the airport today. Passport control staff’s three-day industrial action began on Friday and is set to continue until Monday.
It means families returning to the UK after half-term breaks should expect delays at the airport, which is the UK’s busiest by passenger numbers. The strike action affects Terminals 2, 3, 4 and 5, however pictures seen by the Mirror show severe queues at Terminal 5 today, a global hub for British Airways and its sister airline Iberia.
The industrial action is being held due to a dispute about rotas, but a Home Office spokesperson said officers had been given the choice of moving to the new roster, being redeployed or leaving.
A petition has been launched in support of the workers. General secretary of the Public and Commercial Services union (PCS), Fran Heathcote, said: “We call on all trade unionists and the public to support this petition and tell Border Force management to scrap this unwelcome and unworkable roster that has already caused misery to our members.
“PCS has repeatedly called for more flexibility in the new roster but management has refused to listen. Until they do, and they put forward proposals to improve the roster, then the dispute will continue.”
The Border Force staff staged a four-day walkout from the end of April in the same dispute. The union said it expected disruption over the weekend as families returned to the UK at the end of the half-term holiday.
A Home Office spokesperson said: “Border Force gave officers the option to move to the new roster, take part in a voluntary exit scheme or redeploy to other parts of the organisation.
“The vast majority of officers have now made their choice and we are supporting a very small number of individuals to find alternative roles in the organisation.”
