Up to 200 workers at Birmingham Airport are to go on a series of strikes which would force the airport to close over the Christmas period.
Trade union Amicus announced nine days of industrial action on Monday, which includes 12-hour walk-outs on Christmas Eve, Boxing Day and New Year’s Eve.Staff agreed to strike on Friday in a row over two dismissed workers.
The airport fire service, engineering, terminals, security and operations will be affected.
Unfair dismissal
The first strike is planned for 28 November and then 8, 10, 12, 19, 24, 26, 31 December and 6 January.
Amicus said nearly 70% of its members voted in favour of industrial action.
Spokesman Peter Coulson said: “We regret having to resort to industrial action over the Christmas period, but the union and its members will not tolerate the airports unacceptable behaviour towards two loyal hardworking members of staff.
“If Birmingham International Airport acts in an indiscriminate manner they must be held to account.”
Airport management said on Friday the result was disappointing and the runway would have to close if safety was compromised.
The union said allegations of unauthorised absence, falsification of records and breaches of trust made against the members of staff had no foundation.
The union is helping the sacked pair take claims for unfair dismissal to an employment tribunal.
Officials claimed surveillance techniques used by management were in breach of data protection and human rights laws and are seeking legal advice.
The airport has said the two airside safety officers left site on seven consecutive shifts for a total of 55 hours and they signed for work that they did not do.
The decision to dismiss them for gross misconduct was upheld following an appeal
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/west_midlands/4456890.stm
This is bad news, I know someone who’s flying out to Ibiza on the 19th December – god knows what’s going to happen regarding her’s and eveyone else’s flights? Maybe rebooked onto EMA/MAN/LON flights or cancelled?
By: Future Pilot - 21st November 2005 at 16:26
Here is a Press Release from BIA.
Industrial Action Threatens Travel
Birmingham International Airport (BIA) remains ready to submit to binding arbitration in a case involving two airfield Safety Officers dismissed for serious breaches of safety procedures. Despite the union, Amicus, threatening a series of damaging strikes up to and over Christmas, BIA cannot allow the union to dictate its operational and safety procedures.
The latest developments are totally unwarranted and unnecessary and could be readily resolved if Amicus would agree to put its case to independent arbitration. The union seems set against such a resolution, and its motives, other than causing maximum damage to the Airport, its passengers and the Region, appear unclear.
There can be no winners from strikes like those threatened by Amicus. The travelling public will suffer, and the Airport Company will suffer, along with the many other companies at the Airport.
Recruitment plans have already had to be shelved and if these strikes go ahead it is bound to have an impact on jobs at the Airport next year. This sort of unnecessary disruption would destroy much of what we have worked to so hard to achieve at the Airport over the last few years.
The Airport’s Managing Director, Richard Heard, said:
“For my part, I sincerely apologise to all the travelling public and our partners at the Airport for this totally unnecessary action. The Airport Company, however, has to prioritise and be able to control its safety and operational procedures. No company in a safety critical business like aviation could have its safety procedures set by industrial action ballots.
“As the Airport is a private Company, it can not rely on the military to provide cover during industrial action. This situation will play into the hands of our competitors. If the Company suffers, Amicus members and everyone involved suffers.
“Amicus has already damaged or destroyed the prospect of around 50 new jobs that we were expecting to create in the New Year”.
The trade union has threatened industrial action on the following days:
Monday 28th November, Thursday 8th December, Saturday 10th December, Monday 12th December, onday 19th December, Saturday 24th December, Monday 26th December, Saturday 31st December and Friday 6th January 2006.
The Airport terminal will remain open as usual; however flights will not operate between 0600 and 1900 on each day. There is a likelihood that disruption will continue outside of these times.
It is possible that airlines may be making alternative arrangements. Updates will be posted on the Airport’s website, www.bhx.co.uk.
Background:
Amicus has made a number of claims. The facts of the case are:
• Though disappointing, only just over half of the Amicus membership (102 out of 200) have voted for action.
• Contrary to union claims, there was no strike last year. There is no need to threaten passengers at such a busy time of year.
• Charges against the men were upheld through the company’s disciplinary process, which is agreed with the Trades Unions.
• By abandoning their posts and leaving the airfield, the two men placed themselves in a location that was under surveillance. Had they continued in their place of work, they would not have entered an unauthorised area, and thus come under surveillance. It was the area that was under surveillance, not the individuals.
• In any case, the Airport Company has complied with the requirements of the data protection act – its guidance states that surveillance is justified where actions include gross misconduct or practices which jeopardise the safety of others
http://www.bhx.co.uk/page.aspx?type=bEyZftSD20U=&id=jAERoqnLlek=&article=XHKsR1vafRI=
By: cheesebag - 21st November 2005 at 15:43
I’m off to ACE on 15th… May be some backlog.
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November 21, 2005 at 3:35 pm