STRIKE? REALLY?
Thread Starter
STRIKE? REALLY?
D Tel quote below, today, shows how good our unserpaid, cheerful, discliplined services are. We knew Border Force was crap, now they reinforce that belief. How about a Border Regiment? Oh!, wait, we had one ........A strike by Border Force staff appeared to be having little impact at airports on Wednesday, with many passengers clearing passport control in less than five minutes.
Operations at Heathrow - one of six airports where the strikes are taking place - were “smooth” and “free flowing”, an official said.
“The airport is operating as normal. The immigration halls are free flowing with Border Force and the military contingency providing a good level of service for arriving passengers,” a spokesman said.
Operations at Heathrow - one of six airports where the strikes are taking place - were “smooth” and “free flowing”, an official said.
“The airport is operating as normal. The immigration halls are free flowing with Border Force and the military contingency providing a good level of service for arriving passengers,” a spokesman said.
Whilst I agree that things seem to be going well, I wonder how accurate the checks are?
I can't imagine Border Force recruits are put on the front line with only a few days training. No disrespect to the Troops doing the job, but they have had minimum training and will be doing only what they have been told to do. There is obviously more to it than just checking passports.
Should any undesirables get through, I hope they don't get flak for it, as it is Border Force who should shoulder any blame.
That said, given the circumstances, they are doing a great job. But I think we knew they would.
I can't imagine Border Force recruits are put on the front line with only a few days training. No disrespect to the Troops doing the job, but they have had minimum training and will be doing only what they have been told to do. There is obviously more to it than just checking passports.
Should any undesirables get through, I hope they don't get flak for it, as it is Border Force who should shoulder any blame.
That said, given the circumstances, they are doing a great job. But I think we knew they would.
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I agree it may not be 100% effective using less-skilled staff, but I suspect a degree of overkill underlayed the BF set-up.
Thank again to UK Mil for keeping the Nation going.
Thank again to UK Mil for keeping the Nation going.
D Tel quote below, today, shows how good our unserpaid, cheerful, discliplined services are. We knew Border Force was crap, now they reinforce that belief. How about a Border Regiment? Oh!, wait, we had one ........A strike by Border Force staff appeared to be having little impact at airports on Wednesday, with many passengers clearing passport control in less than five minutes.
Operations at Heathrow - one of six airports where the strikes are taking place - were “smooth” and “free flowing”, an official said.
“The airport is operating as normal. The immigration halls are free flowing with Border Force and the military contingency providing a good level of service for arriving passengers,” a spokesman said.
Operations at Heathrow - one of six airports where the strikes are taking place - were “smooth” and “free flowing”, an official said.
“The airport is operating as normal. The immigration halls are free flowing with Border Force and the military contingency providing a good level of service for arriving passengers,” a spokesman said.
How on earth do you manage to generalise from that as to whether or not they manage to keep undesirables out ?
In 1973 there was a strike by some civilian workers at the RAF supply depot at Carlisle, although an agreement was struck that priority supplies would be managed by some of the small team of uniformed RAF personnel. These would work with other civilians who were not striking and whose pay was based on ‘piece work’ ie how much they did.
I was put on the night shift and worked on a 12 hour shift, receiving demands for priority spares and ensuring these demands were sent for despatch from the stores sites.
The job was a ‘doddle’ and not only did I do the high priority stuff but sorted a lot more lower priority orders – otherwise I might have died of boredom!
After the strike was over and negotiations resumed I found myself to be something of a hate figure, as I proved that there were too many people being paid the nightly rate and the response time was too great and should be reduced – both of which would mean work and pay rates reassessed. However, the non-strikers were happy because they had shifted more ‘pieces’ and hence got more pay!
I used to wonder if that was the reason why my posting was brought forward!!!
Old Duffer
I was put on the night shift and worked on a 12 hour shift, receiving demands for priority spares and ensuring these demands were sent for despatch from the stores sites.
The job was a ‘doddle’ and not only did I do the high priority stuff but sorted a lot more lower priority orders – otherwise I might have died of boredom!
After the strike was over and negotiations resumed I found myself to be something of a hate figure, as I proved that there were too many people being paid the nightly rate and the response time was too great and should be reduced – both of which would mean work and pay rates reassessed. However, the non-strikers were happy because they had shifted more ‘pieces’ and hence got more pay!
I used to wonder if that was the reason why my posting was brought forward!!!
Old Duffer
I suspect you have little concept of what the Border Force is actually allowed to do when dealing with migrants and where their responsibilities end and other agencies’ responsibilities begin.
"How on earth do you manage to generalise from that as to whether or not they manage to keep undesirables out ?"
We know they aren't doing a very good job at that either
I think what gets under people's skin is the lack of common courtesy for arrivals - everyone is treat like a convicted fellon. It's getting like the USA
We know they aren't doing a very good job at that either
I think what gets under people's skin is the lack of common courtesy for arrivals - everyone is treat like a convicted fellon. It's getting like the USA
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The Border Force staff, at the desks, are usually pretty engaging. It’s the staff at security, running the screening machines who are the surliest, with no sense of how to reduce an ever increasing queue.
Jack
Think back to 2012, when the military replaced all the contract security people at the London Olympics. That seemed to go pretty well too.
The recent strikes seem to have involved a degree of foot shooting by the unions. The press today reports that, because of the postal strike, ballot papers for the teachers
proposed days of inaction won't get back in time. Little surprise there when the same source reports some Christmas cards won't get delivered until maybe February.
Why is it that large groups of workers seem hell bent on punishing everyone else, at a time when the country is deep in various crises?
As always, sincere thanks to all in the military who are doing their best to UK PLC running.
The recent strikes seem to have involved a degree of foot shooting by the unions. The press today reports that, because of the postal strike, ballot papers for the teachers
proposed days of inaction won't get back in time. Little surprise there when the same source reports some Christmas cards won't get delivered until maybe February.
Why is it that large groups of workers seem hell bent on punishing everyone else, at a time when the country is deep in various crises?
As always, sincere thanks to all in the military who are doing their best to UK PLC running.
Well, they have this annoying habit of making you feel as though you are an "undesirable". I've found U.S. and Australian (to name but two) border staff to be at least in possession of some charisma. Many I've encountered seem to be completely lacking in personality.......it's almost as if they're there under sufferance and we returning travelers are an inconvenience. Recent U.S. and Australian experiences have been the opposite........and also slick and efficient too! As for the FBU leader, I don't know one firefighter who is happy to strike........they'll pay dearly this time.
Seems that they can't keep their own undesirables out, according to https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/202...ration-status/
Jack
Jack
Avoid imitations
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When I needed to renew my passport a few years ago I went to the main post office with all the paperwork for their paid for accelerated application service. The chap on the counter said he couldn’t process my application because I had smiled on the photo. I certainly hadn’t. I went back to the photographer and asked for the photo to be redone. He was surprised because in his opinion the photo was fine. I went back to the post office with the second photo and the same chap said again that I was smiling. I told him to process my application this time or I would make a formal complaint. The new passport came back without a problem.
Ironically, I was unlucky enough to go through immigration in USA shortly afterwards it was obvious why no one should be smiling on their passport photo. I was faced with two and a half hour queue to get to a desk and the very aggressive immigration staff. I missed my connecting flight by a very long chalk and I certainly wasn’t smiling by the time I reached the front of the queue.
Ironically, I was unlucky enough to go through immigration in USA shortly afterwards it was obvious why no one should be smiling on their passport photo. I was faced with two and a half hour queue to get to a desk and the very aggressive immigration staff. I missed my connecting flight by a very long chalk and I certainly wasn’t smiling by the time I reached the front of the queue.
Thread Starter
In the context of our military rising competently and predictably to the challemge, this from the Old Contemptibles of 1914:
"We'll do it!"
"what is it you want done?"
"We'll do it!"
"what is it you want done?"
Why is it that large groups of workers seem hell bent on punishing everyone else, at a time when the country is deep in various crises?
The reasons for these strikes are numerous and varied. In the case of the NHS, its because critical staff are leaving in the thousands. Clapping doesn't pay the bills! Railways, because T & Cs are being hammered. Specifically, the closing down of ALL station ticket offices. For most its the fact they've seen politicians cream off huge benefits through dodgy deals, fraud and corruption. They've seen MPs get massive consecutive pay rises year on year.
They've had enough, and frankly I can't say I blame em.
One could reasonably argue that in the UK the criminal justice system is as much in crisis as the NHS, albeit it doesn't make the news nearly as often.