Airport faces strike threat
13.12.08
Passengers could face delays after baggage handlers and ground staff at Newcastle Airport agreed to take industrial action, the Chronicle reports. Around 120 members of the Unite union voted in favour of a strike over fears of job losses.
The Servisair workers are concerned they will be out of work after the firm lost its contract with low-cost airline easyJet. The contract has been awarded to Gate Aviation, who will take over on January 21. Staff are usually transferred to the new company, but there is a contract dispute.
Regional industrial organiser Graham Eastwood told the newspaper: ‘There is a dispute between Gate Aviation and Servisair that is yet to be finalised. We are 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 Christmas. The ball is clearly in Servisair’s court.’
However, a Servisair spokesman told the newspaper: ‘Under UK employment law the employees who work on the easyJet contract have the right to transfer to Gate Aviation when the contract moves to them in January. 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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