Ed Milliband is imploring the Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS) not to strike this coming Thursday, as hundreds of thousands of Olympic enthusiasts wing their way to this “green and pleasant land”. It is forecast to be Heathrow Airport’s busiest day in history.
UK Border Staff promise chaos this Thursday for Olympic tourists
Whether their grief over pay and staffing is justified or not, unions should not be allowed to hold the nation to ransom at a time when it needs to showcase its prowess to overseas investors and tourists.
The world’s media is watching gleefully, waiting with open arms for the images of innocent tourists suffering in endless queues. The French unions will heave a deep sigh of relief as they hand back the “British disease” baton in a relay race with the government that promises to be long and acrimonious.
As the European financial crisis deepens, unions are busily removing the “welcome” banners in favour of ones reading “stay away”; a superb opportunity for the international dailies to raise local morale by portraying us as a nation slipping back into the ways of the past.
This return to the cynicism of the 70s is worrying for the future of the country in a deepening world financial crisis. Do they see in Ed the opportunity to profit from his strong union links? Whatever their motivation, such cynical strike action should be outlawed in favor of “minimum service” legislation.
Let’s hope our Olympic guests have a sense of humour and sufficient battery charge in their tablets and smartphones to outwit the unions keen on creating this “summer of discontent”.
Update: Faced with untold damage to its image and economy, the government has ceded to PCS demands by promising up to 800 new jobs for border control staff. You have to wonder how it will pay for it given their earlier announcement to layoff 8,500 Home Office staff.
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