Britain to halt big strike

LONDON (AP):

Britain's Home Office is seeking an injunction to halt a strike on the eve of the Olympics by immigration staff at UK airports.

Members of the Public and Commercial Services Union, which represents staff at British airports, voted last week for a 24-hour walkout over pay and job losses. The strike is set for tomorrow, the day before the start of London's Olympic Games.

The Home Office said yesterday the government believes there was a procedural error in the strike ballot and it is seeking a High Court injunction to prevent the strike.

CALL OFF THE STRIKE

It urged the union to call off the strike and for its members not to walk out when "the eyes of the world" will be on the UK.

The union said it will "robustly defend" any legal challenge to the planned strike.

"We would hope ministers would rather sit down and talk to us, instead of going to the courts," the union said in a statement.

During previous border guard strikes in November and May, the government drafted in managers and civil servants, including Prime Minister David Cameron's press secretary, to help staff immigration desks and minimise the disruption to incoming travellers.

Britain's government is eager to avoid any disruptions at UK airports as visitors descend for the July 27 to August 12 Games.

Prior to a massive push to quickly process Olympic athletes and visitors, Heathrow Airport, Europe's busiest, had been beset for months by long lines at passport control, which the union has blamed on government spending cuts.