Border Force Strike Action

Across the public and private sector working people are fighting for increases to pay which has led to widespread strikes. In PCS we are no different and following the insulting pay cap of 3% in last year’s Treasury Remit Guidance which restricted pay rises, our members have also voted for strike action.

Our national campaign is designed to bring the Cabinet Office and Government back to the table and for extra money to be provided to fund rises which match inflation currently running at over 10%. That’s a completely fair and reasonable demand which simply means our pay would keep up with inflation protecting it from the cost-of-living crisis.

The Fightback

This year PCS is launching our industrial action campaign in a slightly different way to in the past. Previously we have used national one or two day strikes in isolation to protest about various issues. Those have been fantastic events but have not led to successful outcomes. This year we are determined to strike to win, and to implement a strategy which hurts the employer and creates maximum disruption.

That means that we are primarily using targeted and sustained action. That’s meant that we have identified areas which can deliver the greatest leverage across the union, and we are using our fighting fund to pay strike pay and bring those members out in a sustained fashion.

Already PCS members in the Rural Payments Agency, Driving Standards Agency, Highways Agency and DWP have been on strike in furtherance of our national dispute. And the action we have in the Border Force is scheduled to commence on the 23rd of this month.

We know that members not covered by this action will be disappointed, but we will not only be targeting other areas in the future to ensure that pressure is kept up, but we will also be supplementing the targeted action with all member action. We are aiming to ensure that this all-member action will be coordinated with other unions to ensure the greatest impact and publicity.

Current Strike Plans

PCS are receiving some reports of confusion and misinformation about which of our members are covered by the scheduled action. We are targeting members who can be deployed to and operate the primary control point. This means officers of any grade who are trained to undertake the work routinely carried out by a BF Officer (EO Grade) carrying out passport checking and testing of any required intentions of arriving passengers.

For the purposes of this strike action notice, when referring to the primary control point this includes being able to operate the PCP desk and/or monitor the E-Gates.

To be deployable to the PCP there is an expectation that skills are refreshed and maintained to the appropriate standard, whether that be through refresher training or by being regularly/routinely exposed to and operating at the PCP. Where members have a live Warnings Index/Border Crossing account they can operate at the PCP. Where WI/BX accounts have expired they will only be reactivated where it is evidenced that PCP training is current. If your WI/BX account has expired, you will not be covered to take strike action, as you are unable to be deployed to the PCP. However, if refresher training is provided and this is reactivated, at this point you will be covered by the action and are able to participate in the strike action

Contrary to some messages if you have been trained to cover the PCP, no matter what grade you are, you are covered by the action and can strike.

The scope of the action is those members who are based at the following locations:

Glasgow Airport, Gatwick Airport, Birmingham Airport, Manchester Airport, Heathrow Terminals 2, 3, 4 and 5, Command Centre Building 820 Heathrow, Cardiff Airport and the port of Newhaven.

This includes members in the RTF based at the listed locations above, however it does not include anyone based at different ports and airports.

Of course, it would be great to call everyone in Border Force or the whole Home Office out on strike for an extended period. However, because we are funding strike pay, we clearly have to limit the number of people in scope to ensure we are using that money as effectively as possible. We are committed to evaluating the effectiveness of the action and making sure future plans are tailored to maximise impact.

We understand members concerns of being deployed to work on the PCP against their will at a location where members are taking strike action. PCS are unable to induce members to take strike action by refusing to be deployed. It will be down to individuals’ choice based the departments FAQs. However, we feel it should be unnecessary in most circumstances for Home Office to have to deploy staff against their will from areas not covered by the strike. They have other contingencies at their disposal including military aid, surge staff, HO contingency trained staff and SWF. They should look to use these and additionally seek further volunteers, if necessary, before looking to compel staff to be deployed from other areas. There is further guidance here.

Impact

Inevitably the department are arranging contingencies to try to deal with the strike. However, the very fact that the Army has been called in and that the Home Secretary has encouraged the public to rethink Christmas plans indicates that we are already having an effect.

Members should be under no illusions that the action that we have called is significant and that we already getting huge press coverage. The department are certainly concerned about the action we have planned and that which we might call in the future.

Picket Lines

There will be picket lines on 23 December at the following locations:

• Gatwick Airport, A23 Bus stop, opposite Ashdown House RH6 0NP - 23 Dec, 8 - 10 am

• Heathrow Airport, Nene Roundabout, Bath Road, Customs House 23 Dec, 8 - 10 am

• Manchester Airport Domestic Approach, Manchester M90 1NN, outside the exit of T3 arrivals – 23 December, 7-11am

• Cardiff Airport, layby near Toby Carvery in Rhoose, approx 2.3 miles on A4226 – 23 December 8-10am

• Birmingham Airport, Bird Island Roundabout on Viking Road B26 3QY - 23 December, 12-4pm.

Please feel free to attend any of these picket lines if you are able.

We will also be holding VIRTUAL PICKET LINES via ZOOM on the 24 and 25 December from 9am to 9.30am.  Mark Serwotka, PCS General Secretary, and John McDonnell MP will speak on the 24 December and Mark Serwotka, alongside other trade unionists will speak on 25 December to bring solidarity greetings and support to our members striking over Christmas.

Whether you are on strike or wish to support the strikers and the campaign please pop in over Xmas to show your support.  Everyone is welcome. https://pcs.zoom.us/j/91667632157 (Meeting ID: 916 6763 2157.  Dial in +44 208 080 6591)

Future Action

Of course, we would all like to see the action we are taking over Christmas, and the action of our colleagues across other departments, be successful in moving the Government back to the negotiating table. However, we must be realistic that this is likely to be the start of a hard campaign to win decent pay rises.

That campaign will need further targeted action as well as all-member action, where we all take strike action together. We are at the start of our pay campaign and if we stay strong, show solidarity and work together we can be successful in winning a pay rise which we all deserve.

James Cox (Group President), Pete Wright (Group Vice President), Mike Jones (Group Secretary)