Axe threat airport workers to protest outside Transport Scotland’s base
Many of the 500 workers who face redundancy at Glasgow Airport will stage a protest tomorrow outside Transport Scotland’s headquarters.
The staff, who work for various companies at the Paisley transport hub, are calling for the Scottish Government to offer targeted support for businesses in the civil aviation sector.
Organised by Unite, the socially distant protest outside Glasgow’s Buchanan House is part of the trade union’s Save Our Airports campaign.
It was launched after baggage handlers Swissport announced plans to axe 321 jobs at Glasgow Airport, Menzies Aviation 160 staff, car park operator NCP 20 jobs and fuel supplier North Air a further seven posts.
And airlines who fly from the airport including major operators such as Easyjet and Jet 2 are also proposing cuts for staff who work at the Abbotsinch Road site.
Easyjet wants to make 1,300 crew and 727 pilots redundant.
Jet 2, which grounded flights from Glasgow Airport to Spain last week, is also cutting around 100 pilot jobs and as many as 380 cabin crew staff.
Pat McIlvogue from Unite said research has shown the projected job losses would, if realised, be catastrophic for the Scottish economy.
He said those threatened with redundancy were bringing their demands for assistance to the door of the Scottish Government tomorrow.
“Unite fully understands the situation facing civil aviation,” he said, “and that’s why we have written to the First Minister last month for the second time demanding a coordinated national response so that we can safeguard thousands of Scottish jobs.”
Key to Unite’s campaign are four demands which call for sector specific support for civil air transport in Scotland including the extension of the UK Government Job Retention Scheme.
It also asks for an extension to any redundancy consultation processes undertaken to date while sector support measures are brought forward.
Finally, it calls for the removal of any fire and rehire proposals of employers operating in Scottish airports and that any government assistance is offered on the basis workers’ pay and conditions remain unchanged.