Joint Trade Union Statement (GMB Scotland & Unite Scotland)

Joint Trade Union Statement (GMB Scotland & Unite Scotland)

Responding to the latest developments on the Flybe collapse this afternoon (Thursday 5 March), GMB Scotland and Unite Scotland, are urging airport ground handling operations to avoid “knee jerk cuts” to thousands of jobs across Scottish airports: 

“This is a time for cool heads, not knee jerk cuts, as we try and mitigate the impact of the Flybe collapse on ground operations across Scottish airports. Without a joined-up industrial and political response we could be looking at a jobs catastrophe in aviation. 

“That’s why we have written to the Scottish Government’s Transport Secretary this afternoon, seeking urgent discussions about their intended response and next steps, as the situation develops.

“We cannot do anything other than approach this on an hour by hour basis but the fact remains that connectivity for impacted routes will need to be restored – communities and businesses will need this and we will need resources on the ground to support this too.

“Government must do everything they can to support communities, employers and jobs because make no mistake, this is a test of the country’s economic resilience as we deal with this extraordinary set of circumstances.”

ENDS

Contact: Peter Welsh, GMB Scotland Communications, on 07976 447077 or Andrew Brady, Unite Scotland Communications, on 07810 157922.