UNITED KINGDOM / AGILITYPR.NEWS / November 10, 2020 / Unite Scotland has today (10 November) reacted to the news that up to 48 jobs could be lost at Dalcross Handling based at Aberdeen Airport. The company employs around 165 people.

Unite has offered support to help mitigate redundancies, and to work with the company to retain the workforce within the Aberdeen Airport base, which has been rejected by Dalcross Handling. The union has criticised the company for refusing to utilise the five-month extension of the furlough scheme into Spring 2021. Unite also believes that there are now real questions over staffing levels and the viability of maintaining appropriate levels of health and safety within Aberdeen Airport’s grounds with such a significant reduction in skilled staff. 

Unite Scotland commissioned the Fraser of Allander Institute (FAI) in July which projected 1,500 direct job losses in civil aviation across Scotland. The FAI stated that this will create a knock-on effect of job losses and spill-over effects in the wider economy leading to total job losses of around 2,330. The direct effect of these redundancies on Gross Value Added (GVA) is around a £90m loss to the Scottish economy. The overall economic impact is a loss of around £140m to the Scottish economy after accounting for knock-on effects.

Shauna Wright, Unite industrial officer, said: “Unite’s members at Dalcross Handling are shocked that the company have chosen to renege on its assurances to staff that if furlough was extended then there would be no need for redundancies. Dozens of our members have backed a petition calling for the company to use the furlough scheme and we will be seeking wider public and political support. Unite is aware that Dalcross will be vying for additional contracts on the Aberdeen Airport campus and we would implore them to think carefully before continuing on this course of action. Our message is clear: use the furlough scheme, protect families’ incomes and work with Unite to protect the jobs of this skilled workforce.”