Strike threat at Newcastle Airport
08.12.08
Passengers could face long delays after baggage handlers and ground staff at Newcastle Airport agreed to take industrial action, the Chronicle reports. About 120 members of the Unite union voted in favour of a strike amid fears of job losses.
The Servisair workers are concerned they will be out of work after the firm dropped its contract with low-cost airline easyJet. The contract has been picked up by Gate Aviation, who will take over on January 21. Staff would usually be transferred to the new company, but this has been hit by a contract dispute.
Regional industrial organiser for Unite, Graham Eastwood, told the newspaper: ‘There is a dispute between Gate Aviation and Servisair that is yet to be finalised. We’re trying to work with both companies to get this matter resolved as quickly as possible without affecting services. Workers voted almost unanimously that, if needed, they are prepared to take industrial action to protect jobs.'
‘The action could be imminent, however we don’t believe there will be any disruption over the Christmas period. The ball is clearly in Servisair’s court.’
However, a Servisair spokesman told the newspaper: ‘Under UK employment law our employees who work on the easyJet contract have the right to transfer to Gate Aviation when the contract moves to them on 22 January, 2009. We had hoped that Unite would focus on supporting our efforts to protect their members’ rights instead of threatening disruption to passengers.’
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