Fresh row amid job cut plans at airport hotel

AN ongoing row into plans to cut 100 jobs at an airport hotel took a new twist when a union boss claimed he was banned from speaking to industry chiefs.

Bryan Simpson, from Unite the Union, has hit out at a “deeply troubling” email from a Holiday Inn supremo, which told him to “refrain from contacting” them further.

However, the hotel’s chain, LGH, says it does not recognise the union and claims Mr Simpson’s message was in reference to premises in Edinburgh and not the one at Glasgow Airport.

Mr Simpson, industrial organiser at Unite, said: “For a senior representative from LGH Management to send such an email to the union representing a majority of its workforce in Glasgow is deeply troubling, particularly given that we are in the middle of a redundancy consultation.”

As we told previously, bosses at the Holiday Inn announced sweeping redundancy plans in July as they struggled to battle falling guest numbers during the pandemic.

At the time, it was believed as many as 88 out of 92 staff members would lose their jobs to compulsory redundancy. Employees were then due to be offered the chance to apply for limited “minimum wage” roles instead.

However, Mr Simpson, who is supporting staff during a consultation period, has now accused bosses at LGH of not providing the necessary 45 days of consultation needed for job losses on such a scale.

The union leader claims plans were discussed to cut more than 100 roles, which would require the Government to be notified within the timeframe.

However, LGH bosses say as some employees resigned, they are now below the threshold for a 45- day notice period.

Mr Simpson continued: “Not only are they refusing to even engage with our members over their proposed alternative to save jobs, they aren’t even providing the necessary 45- day consultation.

“We are currently exploring the potential of legal action against LGH.”

A spokesman for Holiday Inn Glasgow Airport said: “This is a very difficult time for the whole industry and it will take time for travel and tourism to return to pre- coronavirus levels.

“As a result, we are conducting a consultation to resize the hotel team which unfortunately may involve redundancies from our loyal and hardworking team.

“It is a genuine and meaningful process through which our priority is to minimise impacts on our colleagues.”