Proposed redundancies at Stobart Aviation Services will see 63 Manchester Airport workers made redundant, accounting for 42 per cent of its workforce.
Unite the Union said Stobart Aviation Service is proposing to make “substantial” cuts at Manchester, Southend and Stansted airports, mostly impacting baggage handlers.
The union said the redundancies are “almost certainly” linked to the end of the job retention scheme (JRS), which is set to end at the end of October.
Unite said it will be entering into “detailed negotiations” with Stobart Aviation to minimise redundancies and ensure, wherever possible, any redundancies are voluntary.
Unite national officer for civil air transport Oliver Richardson said the job losses are “yet another example of why the sector needs specific support” from government.
“Time and again we warned that this would happen,” he said.
“Aviation workers and this sector feel abandoned by this government.
“With the JRS scheduled to end next month, companies feel they are on a cliff edge and with passenger numbers not likely to begin to recover until next year at the earliest many feel pushed into making dramatic job cuts.”
He continued: “The chancellor originally promised specific support for the aviation sector back in March and the failure to deliver on that promise has already cost thousands of workers their jobs.
“We urge him to delay not a day longer and bring forward the promised support so that more workers are not sent to the dole queue.
“Unite will ensure that our members at Stobart Aviation Services who face a highly stressful and worrying time are treated fairly.”
At Southend airport, Stobart Aviation Services has proposed to make 94 or its 153 workers redundant, while 98 of 147 workers at Stansted airport are at risk of redundancy.
