Yep. Use P45s from previous employment to plot your employment history on the forms for the Disclosure Scotland. They have strict guidelines on how and what they can accept for proof of employment. They can only contact certain people on your behalf.
Your previous employer CANNOT stop you obtaining an airside pass for a new employer. The only contact made between the two companies would be to request confirmation that you worked there between the dates you stated.
As for a reference, they CAN refuse to supply you with one. If this happens, explain to your potential new employer that you left of your own free will along with many others as the company was either not operating safely/ facing financial ruin/ 'place your reason here'/ etc.... But be nice about it, and remember it was a well thought out decision not a snap one!!!
If they issue a reference, and it is in anyway untrue or unfair, you could approach the new employer and explain that you feel it was due to bitterness (again be nice about it!).
If they have in any way been derogatory about you, you can make accusations of defamation of character. Most employers know this so will either issue NO reference at all, or they'll give a very basic one stating dates worked, position held, and that work was carried out to a basic standard.
If you know of someone in the company, either a manager or HR person who could write a good reference on company paper, ask them to do so. This way, you have a good reference in your hand which you can hand to a perspective employer in advance. Explain you obtained the reference as you weren't sure if they'd still exist when you needed a reference in the future, and that you left of your own free will but regrettably not on the best terms dur to a unresolvable disagreement...... etc.
Six
