100,000 members of the Union of Public and Commercial Services (PCS), representing 123 employers, will strike on February 1, affecting government organizations, ministries, museums, ports and airports.
The authorities are going to send military personnel, civil servants and volunteers members of the government to ensure border control at all airports and ports affected by the strike. However, few people doubt that queues and delays cannot be avoided.
“If you are entering the UK through any port of entry, you should prepare for interruptions,” — UK authorities have addressed in a statement, adding that the strikes are expected to last until 07:00 am on February 2.
Travelers are asked to remain calm and patient, respecting the border guards who went to work during the strike. It is recommended that you consult with your travel agents, tour operators and airlines to understand the extent to which a strike may affect your trip.
The best — use electronic eGates to cross the border, where available.
“Please respect the staff as we try to make sure the border crossing is as fast and safe as possible. All forms of abuse and any inappropriate behavior will be reported to the police, — further warned in the statement.
There is no word yet on how long it will take to wait at the — “Collecting and verifying accurate queue time data can take some time.” In addition to strikes, other factors affect flight delays, including the weather, the growth in the number of passengers, and others.
Border guards will not be the only ones on strike — thousands of railway workers, school and university employees and even government officials will join the strike on February 1.
The protests will also affect travelers passing through border control at Calais, Dunkirk and Coquell in northern France.
The last time the UK border guards went on strike was at the end of 2022. They did not go to work for a whole week, from 23 to 31 December.