Union challenges airport which is cutting 45 jobs on why it rejected lockdown grants

A trade union is asking why an airport which is cutting 45 jobs told Stormont it had no need of pandemic support grants which were given to two sister facilities in Northern Ireland.
Belfast International Airport is planning 45 voluntary redundancies.Belfast International Airport is planning 45 voluntary redundancies.
Belfast International Airport is planning 45 voluntary redundancies.

Unite has also slammed an offer of career counselling from the Department of Economy (DoE) as opposed to furloughs.

On Friday Belfast International Airport (BIA) Managing Director Graham Keddie said consultation was to begin on 45 voluntary redundancies.

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“We do not foresee air travel returning to pre-COVID-19 levels for a few years and therefore we have no alternative but to take this difficult decision to reduce our staff,” he said.

Unite organiser George Brash wrote to BIA demanding to know: “Why the big rush to make redundancies?” His union is concerned that Covid-19 is being used across the UK as an excuse to slash jobs.

Belfast City Airport was considering 95 redundancies but used the government furlough scheme instead, he said, while Derry City Airport told the News Letter it had no plans for any redundancies.

Asked to why it was not going to use furloughs, BIA said: “We have utilised the government’s Job Retention Scheme over the last few months but sadly it is going to take years for the aviation industry to recover and for us to return to the pre-Covid levels of air travel.”

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The government furlough scheme has been extended until October though companies will be asked to “start sharing” costs from August.

Last month the Stormont Executive announced £5.7m support for Belfast City Airport and City of Derry Airport and associated airlines, to help them cope with the impact of lockdown.

The News Letter asked the Departments of Infrastructure (DfI) and DoE why BIA did not qualify for any financial support.

DFI responded that the support was “short term and temporary and that BIA said it did not need it”. The grants helped maintain the essential last remaining flights from Londonderry and Belfast to London, it said. “Belfast International Airport remains open for freight only. Whilst in a difficult financial position, they indicated at that time that they did not need this temporary support.”

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The DoE did not mention the government furlough scheme in its statement but instead offered career advice to employees facing redundancy.

“The Department for the Economy’s Careers Service is available to support those impacted by offering free professional and impartial careers information, advice and guidance tailored to individual need,” it said.

But Mr Brash said they are now raising the question of the grants with the airport. “This has been raised with the airport by our stewards, and we are awaiting their response,” he told the News Letter. “However career counselling will be no consolation to any member who is made redundant.”

BIA responded that its voluntary redundancy scheme is open to all staff, whether currently on furlough or not. Up to 50% of staff have been furloughed at any one time, it added.

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It could not avail of last month’s grants, it said, as government advised these were only to support commercial passenger flights, which it did not have at the time.

BIA also noted yesterday “with great disappointment and dismay” that the Executive has decided to press ahead with the 14 day quarantine for anyone outside the Common Travel Area “without any consultation with the industry”.

NI will be left at a serious disadvantage with local passengers able to use southern airports without the same restrictions, he added.

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