Staff affected include those who patrol UK waters to tackle drug smuggling and respond to small boat crossings in the English Channel
Public and Commercial Services (PCS) union members are going on strike on Friday after waiting more than six years for the Government to review allowances where staff are doing the same jobs but earning different money and pension amounts.
A PCS representative said that this had meant some people “losing money hand-over-fist” after changes to allowances were made about 13 years ago.
Staff affected include those who patrol UK waters to tackle drug smuggling and respond to small boat crossings in the English Channel.
The union representative, who is a Border Force staff member who wishes to remain anonymous, said: “They’re just fed up to the back teeth.
“We’re approaching our seventh year where they’ve continually lost pay and pension payments because of this, and they’re just, they’re fed up.
“The job of a maritime officer is probably one of the most dangerous jobs within Border Force.”
Members of the maritime fleet who work all around the UK and into foreign waters will be holding a virtual picket line for the industrial action.
The representative said that morale was “really low” among the staff and that all they talked about was pensions, money, and terms and conditions, adding: “You can see how it affects them, because all they want is something fair.
“You’ve got colleagues that work alongside that are earning different money, and their pension contributions are different, and they’re doing exactly the same job.
“They’re not happy.”
PCS members voted overwhelmingly in favour of strike action, by 96%, from a turnout of 80% in October.
The representative said: “They don’t want to strike because they believe in the job they’re doing, but this is the only way to actually raise the profile and get this through.
“It really is appalling that a government organisation has taken this long.
“To have that resolved will be a brilliant victory, and long overdue for everyone on those boats. We’ve had so many people that retired on the old terms, which have lost that money.”
Border Force cutters and coastal patrol vessels would be “non-operational” on the day because of the union’s “strong presence” on such boats and at certain grades, the representative said.
But crew transfer vessels, which carry out small boat rescues, would continue working as they were made up of wider commercial crew, medics and other Border Force workers.
The representative said: “If we have other Border Force officers who are not involved in this strike, who would work on these vessels as part of the rescue, we are instructing them to make sure that if you do go out, then when you go on the boat you are happy with the health and safety for yourself, the crew and any migrants that may be rescued as part of this.”
It is understood that officials do not expect the strike to impact on operations in the English Channel.
A Home Office spokeswoman said: “Border Force work tirelessly to keep our borders safe and secure. We will continue our talks with the union to resolve this dispute.
“We always have robust plans in place to minimise disruption and uphold UK border security, and that remains unchanged.”
