TSSA: ‘Last chance for the travel trade’ as furlough scheme ends
Union TSSA is bracing for travel trade redundancies and what it calls a ‘bonfire’ of terms and conditions as the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme comes to an end today 30 September.
The union, which represents workers in Eurostar, and travel trade companies, is once again calling on the government to extend a bespoke package of support to the industry which is still severely impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic.
TSSA General Secretary Manuel Cortes said, "The end of furlough is going to spell disaster for workers in the travel trade. Travel companies have struggled through two summers of restrictions on travel, whilst the government has ignored our calls for extra assistance."
"Eurostar, and their ancillary industries, are particularly badly hit, as disgracefully the government has refused to give them the same bailout they gave to other train companies in Britain."
"Sadly, faced with a steep increase in wage bills from 1 October, and no return to normal, travel companies will make savings to staffing costs in other ways just to save their business. This will inevitably mean redundancies in the run-up to Christmas,whilst other workers will be forced to pay for saving their jobs by accepting cuts to their hours, and a bonfire of their terms and conditions."
"This really is the last chance for the travel trade. The Tory government needs to seriously reconsider their position, get around the table with the industry and unions and come up with a support package for the travel trade sector before we see more major employers go the way of Thomas Cook."
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