UK strike could cause delays at UK airports

Travelers may face flight delays in the UK on Friday, 23rd, as civil servants who check passports went on strike last Friday to demand better pay, given the rising cost of living. The Border Force shutdown should continue.

Hundreds of thousands of passengers could be affected, although the British government has said it is preparing military personnel and workers from other areas of the public service to help at airports. The shutdown increases pressure on Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. The Conservative government has rejected public sector demands for substantial pay rises.

Inflation in the UK was 10.7% in November, driven up by food and energy prices given the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Last Tuesday, thousands of National Health Service workers sat idle for the second 24-hour strike this month. Ambulance drivers, paramedics and other units also walked out earlier this week, with another strike planned for December 28. Postal deliveries, road maintenance and driving tests have also been hit hard, with new shutdowns already planned for next year in the country. Source: Associated Press.