Border Force staff to strike over Christmas in row over pay, jobs and conditions

Border Force workers are to launch a series of strikes over Christmas in a bitter dispute over pay, pensions and jobs.

The Public and Commercial Services union announced its members working at Gatwick, Heathrow, Manchester, Birmingham and Cardiff airports will strike for eight days from December 23 to New Year’s Eve.

The union has already announced strikes at the Department for Work and Pensions, the Highways Agency and among driving examiners.

Rishi Sunak has promised “new tough laws” to curb the impact of industrial action as he criticised “unreasonable” union chiefs.

The Prime Minister vowed to “protect the lives and livelihoods” of the public from strike disruption and insisted the Government has been “reasonable” in dealing with public sector pay demands.

Sir Keir Starmer urged Mr Sunak at Prime Minister’s Questions to do more to resolve a growing wave of industrial action, as ambulance and healthcare workers prepare to join rail worker in striking.