Trade union warns 1500 airport staff at risk of redundancy

A trade union has warned 1500 Scottish airport workers are at risk of redundancy.

Unite Scotland has launched a campaign to support workers at risk at Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Glasgow airports.

Scottish airport workers are disproportionately affected by planned job losses, the union has argued, while some face their earnings being cut by up to 45% by airlines firing and rehiring staff on poorer pay and conditions.

The campaign is demanding the furlough scheme for the industry is extended beyond the UK Government’s end date of October 31, as well as an end to the “fire and rehire” proposals for Scottish airport workers.

It also wants any government support, investment or tax relief to come with conditions to protect jobs, wages and terms of employment, in line with the Scottish Government’s fair work principles.

Unite Scottish secretary Pat Rafferty said: “The launch of the Save Scotland’s Airports campaign by Unite is vitally important in concentrating the minds of the Scottish and UK governments on the immense pressure the civil aviation industry is under.

“The scale of the challenge is massive and that’s why we need all politicians to support our campaign demands, which focus on the condition of protecting jobs and the terms and conditions of workers associated with any company receiving government support.

“We also need strong support from politicians and the public to ensure that any civil aviation company like British Airways and Menzies Aviation stop and reverse the brutal attacks on jobs and the terms and conditions of the workforce under fire and rehire practices, which could potentially affect take-home pay, we believe, by up to 45%.”

A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “We do not underestimate the scale of the global challenge affecting aviation and aerospace.

“Our immediate priority is providing assistance to workers who have lost their jobs, including through our initiative for responding to redundancy situations – Partnership Action for Continuing Employment (PACE) – which provides skills development and employability support, and aims to minimise the time people are out of work.

“We remain in close contact with the trades unions and support their calls for employees whose jobs are affected by this crisis to be treated fairly.

“As part of our £2.3bn package of business support, the Scottish Government has provided business rates relief for aviation, airports and ground handling providers – something that is not available in England or Wales.”