Border staff are crucial to national security amid terrorism attacks and a migration crisis – yet turnover is high and morale low Barely a day goes by without immigration and border control making headlines. Both are political hot potatoes linked to the threat of terrorism,public safety, jobs, and benefit spending,community cohesion and even “Brexit”. But what of the staff at the sharp end of this political “push me pull you”? Border Force staff are faced daily with the competing pressures of keeping down airport queues and actually securing the border. The travelling public, and the port operators, or don’t like queues. But the bunched arrival of several high volume or high risk flights can build this all but impossible to avoid. There are targets to be met,not only for the length of a queue, but also for customs activities such as the seizure of drugs and other illegal imports. Related: Andy Burnham accuses government of hiding border force cuts Related: Civil servants 'complacent' over e-Borders fiasco Continue reading...
Source: theguardian.com