President of PCS and comrades are seen raising a glass after announcing Border Force strikes that could ruin Christmas getaways for millions of Britons.
Meanwhile, a landlord has banned railway strikers from holding a Christmas bash at his pub due to the impact walkouts have had on his business.
Andy Shaw, who runs the Portwall Tavern in Redcliffe, Bristol, denied a booking by the Bristol Rail Workers’ Social and Welfare Fund to hold their Christmas do there on Saturday.
The publican said it would have been ‘hypocritical’ to accept their custom ‘given I’ve lost a lot of money because of this strike’, adding it was ‘affecting my staff’ and ‘trade’ due to the pub’s proximity to the Bristol Meads railway station.
Rail unions have already said they will wreak havoc on the train network over Christmas while postal staff will join picket lines instead of delivering last-minute presents and cards.Â
Recalled on Wednesday, the PCS announced passport officials would strike on eight days over Christmas at six airports including Heathrow, Gatwick and Manchester.
Few hours later, PCS union officials posted a picture on Facebook of themselves raising a glass at a pub in Clapham, south London, with the caption: ‘Good comrades, lovely meal and lots to celebrate’.
That same day, Ms Heathcote appeared on TalkTV to say that is is ‘very true that what we are going to be seeing in weeks and months ahead is mass coordinated action’ between the PCS and other unions who have disputes with the government.
She said: ‘We are talking to other unions, we are coordinating with other unions and it would make sense wouldn’t it, if our dispute and other disputes, that we would see to coordinate that action to have the maximum impact’.
Yesterday, Home Secretary Suella Braverman urged Britons ‘think carefully’ before attempting to leave the country this Christmas, ahead of ‘undeniable, serious disruption’ due to border staff going on strike.
The wave of planned strikes over conditions and pay this month have extended from nurses, paramedics and rail workers to Border Force officials.Staff at Gatwick, Heathrow, Manchester, Birmingham, Glasgow and Cardiff airports will strike for eight days from December 23 to New Year’s Eve.
Ms Braverman told broadcasters: ‘It’s very regrettable that they have made this decision to potentially strike over critical times in the run up and following Christmas and New Year.
‘If they go ahead with those strikes there will be undeniable, serious disruption caused to many thousands of people who have holiday plans.’
Fran Heathcote, the elected national president for the Public and Commercial Services (PCS) union which represents civil servants, was seen raising her glass at a pub in Clapham, south London, just hours after the union announced 1,000 Border Force staff would stage a walkout.
The row began back in August when the Bristol Rail Workers’ Social and Welfare Fund asked to book out the entire pub for their party on December 10.
