Heathrow accused of ‘brutally ditching’ 500 workers

Saturday, 15 Jun, 2020 0

Heathrow has been accused of ‘brutally ditching’ 500 staff employed as airport ambassadors, despite them taking on extra work during the pandemic crisis.

The ambassadors were employed across all of Heathrow’s five terminals to assist passengers through the airport journey, including security and passport control, collecting baggage and accessing connecting flights.

They were employed by ABM on a contract funded by Heathrow and the entire workforce will now be made redundant.

Unite said many of the ambassadors have continued to work throughout the pandemic taking on 15 extra tasks over and above their normal roles.

Unite regional officer Balvinder Bir said: "Heathrow airport has brutally ditched a loyal and dedicated group of workers who have been undertaking additional work since the pandemic began.

"The ambassadors at Heathrow provided a premium service in assisting passengers to access and leave the airport.

"Their removal will severely detract from customers’ positive experience at the airport in future.

"This is the latest group of workers to have fallen victim to the government’s failure to bring forward specific support to the aviation industry as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic. Unless specific support is finally forthcoming thousands more jobs are at risk.

"If Heathrow wants to maintain its position as a key hub airport in Europe then it needs to urgently review this decision.

"Unite will ensure that all affected members are fully consulted and receive everything that they are entitled to."

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Bev

Editor in chief Bev Fearis has been a travel journalist for 25 years. She started her career at Travel Weekly, where she became deputy news editor, before joining Business Traveller as deputy editor and launching the magazine’s website. She has also written travel features, news and expert comment for the Guardian, Observer, Times, Telegraph, Boundless and other consumer titles and was named one of the top 50 UK travel journalists by the Press Gazette.

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