Civil servants to man UK borders

Civil servants have been asked to man facilities at ports and airports when immigration officials strike
12 April 2012

Civil servants from across Whitehall are being drafted in to work as border staff during next week's public sector strike.

The civil servants have been approached by the UK Border Agency and asked to man facilities at ports and airports when immigration officials strike over their pensions.

Immigration staff working overseas have also been asked if they are willing to return to the UK to help out on the day of industrial action.

Staff working in embassies and high commissions in India, South Africa and Russia have been contacted about returning to Britain to cover for their absent colleagues.

More than two million workers - including as many as 18,000 immigration officials -are expected to strike in the biggest outbreak of industrial unrest since the 1979 Winter of Discontent, raising the potential for long queues at passport control.

A UK Border Agency spokesman said: "The security of the UK border remains our top priority and we explore all options to ensure we minimise any disruption caused by planned union action."

The spokesman stressed that all staff would be given "the necessary level of training" needed for the tasks they are given.

Downing Street confirmed that contingency plans were under way to limit the impact of the strike, but declined to discuss details.

Prime Minister David Cameron's official spokesman said: "We are considering our contingency plans, but we are not providing any details of those. The public will expect us, as the Government, to do what we can to mitigate the effects of the strikes.

"If a large-scale strike goes ahead next week, that will have an impact on people and families across the country. If schools are shut, that will mean a lot of people who have to stay at home to look after their kids. Strikes are not costless. They have an impact and we have to do what we can to mitigate that."

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