Are you flying on 30th June?!

Just a quick heads up for anyone who maybe travelling to/from the UK…

Airport workers to join teachers on June 30 strike

Airport immigration officials and some air traffic controllers will join teachers and public sector workers in their mass walk-out on June 30.

Public sector union Public and Commercial Services (PCS) announced yesterday afternoon that their 250,000 members would also take action in a battle with the government over pensions, retirement age and wages.

The PCS says its represents immigration staff at the UK’s airports plus “some” air traffic controllers, although a spokesperson for the union would not say how many.

Some 61.1% of the PCS’ members agreed to walk out after a national ballot was held. The turn out was 32.4%.

There will also be a month-long ban on overtime after the strike.

PCS general secretary Mark Serwotka said: “This result shows that public servants, who provide vital services from the cradle to the grave, will not stand back while everything they have ever worked for is taken from them.

“The government admits that money cut from pensions will go straight to the Treasury to help pay off the deficit in what is nothing more than a tax on working in the public sector. The very modest pay and pensions of public servants did not cause the recession, so they should not be blamed or punished for it.

“Unless ministers abandon their ideological plans to hollow out the public sector, they will face industrial action on a mass scale on 30 June and beyond.”

Meanwhile a spokesperson at airport owner BAA seemed unsure about how the strike would affect the UK’s air travel on June 30. However, a spokeswomean for NATS, which provides air traffic control services to UK airports, said none of its employees were involved in the strike.

I think those people arriving into the UK will be affected more, as you do not pass through Immigration when you are departing, however, there is usually a passport check prior to entering the departure lounge, and seeing as Arrivals will take priority so as not to cause a back-log, this may in turn cause delays on both sides.

Don’t shoot the messenger though…:D