Airport staff plan walkout

Britain’s Conservative government on Wednesday threatened “tough” action to curb strikes, as airport passport officers became the latest public sector workers to announce December walkouts. The Public and Commercial Services Union said its members at Gatwick, Heathrow, Manchester, Birmingham and Cardiff airports would strike for eight days between Dec. 23 and Dec. 31, one of the busiest times of year for international travel. Labour unrest has spread across both public and private sector workplaces as employees seek pay raises to keep up with inflation that has hit 11.1 per cent, driven by soaring prices for energy and food.