Manchester Airport security fears

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Join The Queue To Quit Job


MORALE among security guards at Manchester Airport is so low they have been told to queue up to quit.
A letter sent out the week before Christmas offers 14 guards per week the chance to resign
on a "first come, first served" basis following payouts of up to £10,000. It comes despite fresh terror alerts issued by the government across the UK over the past few months.
Union bosses attacked the move, accusing bosses of encouraging experienced security staff
to leave at the cost of passenger safety rather than addressing morale problems properly,
However, airport bosses claimed the resignation offer was a "gesture of goodwill" aimed at fed up guards.
New contracts signed by guards following a bitter industrial dispute last year slashed wages and Increased hours. In return they were offered a series of £5,000 lump sum payments provided they work until April this year. But the letter sent out over Christmas offers them the chance to resign between February 2 and March 30 without having to forfeit the cash.
Resignations have been restricted to 14 per week, revealing possible fears of a mass exodus of staff.
"As I have been walking around areas, talking to individual members of staff, it has been made apparent to me that many would wish to resign but feel trapped," Sue Walker, security services manager, states. "I would like to offer those members of staff who would wish to resign, the opportunity to do so. Employees would be allowed to leave on a first come, first served basis."
Dave Mc Call, Transport and General Workers' Union regional secretary slammed the letter
aimed at around 300 guards. "Looking at this from a passenger safety angle, it means there will be more and more inexperienced security staff at the airport, If they can recruit new guards. "Also, this Is the company accepting that they got it wrong in the first place when they changed employees' terms and conditions "Their original plan to change the security department hasn't worked but offering guards the chance to quit is no long term solution to the morale problem. "What the letter doesn't point out to staff is that, if they chose to resign like this, they would not be entitled to any benefits.
"Basically it proves the airport have trapped people in jobs they no longer want to do."
He said the move may have been sparked by a fear that hundreds of guards would resign in April, leaving the airport understaffed and with little time to recruit.
But a Manchester Airport spokesperson Insisted It was a goodwill gesture. "Clearly Manchester Airport has no wish to stand in the way of anyone who 'wishes to leave earlier that they had originally contracted to. "So, as a gesture of goodwill, it is allowing any such member of staff to resign in advance of April 2003 without incurring any financial penalty
"Because of the continued high level of interest in security jobs at the airport, a sensibly phased programme of premature resignations can be comfortably accommodated without disruption to the service."

Metro News Exclusive by Helen Tither. 3 January 2003:eek:

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Things are getting worse

Sickness 'threat to airport security'


SAFETY is being jeopardised by high levels of sickness absence among security staff at Manchester Airport, union bosses have claimed.

They say morale has plunged so low, after more than a year of industrial strife, that more than one in five security workers is staying at home each day.

Airport bosses declined to confirm or deny the Transport and General Workers' Union figures today, but they insisted security was at its "usual height and level".

Unconfirmed union figures suggest that at least 35 of 92 staff rostered to work on Christmas day phoned in sick. They also claim that about 80 out of the security workforce of 430 are off work due to illness at any one time.

Last year, the airport was plagued by a series of strikes by security workers angered at plans to slash wages by £10,000 and axe 140 jobs.

Senior managers at the airport, which is owned by Greater Manchester's 10 local authorities, splashed out £20m in sweeteners to persuade security workers to accept the changes, which included new rosters.

One condition of accepting a £5,000 sum was that they remained in their posts until April. But airport bosses have now waived that condition in what is seen as an admission of the low morale plaguing security.

Sacked

Those who refused to sign the new contracts were sacked. T&G north west regional secretary Dave McCall said: "If you've got 140 less staff, if you've got a demoralised workforce and high sickness absence, if you are replacing experienced staff with new staff, of course you are going to have less effective security. How can it be otherwise?

"Letters have been sent to security staff offering them the chance to resign. Managers have clearly accepted there's a bigger morale problem than they thought there was.

"Something has happened to contribute to these levels of sickness absence, and it's reasonable to assume it's because of the way they've been treated last year.

"If the company wants a world-class workforce they have to treat their workforce with respect and give them decent terms and conditions."

The T&G remains officially in dispute with the airport over its changes in security.

A Manchester Airport spokeswoman said: "We do not comment on specific issues regarding security.

"However, we can confirm airport security is operating at its usual height and level."

Managers have told staff they can leave if they are unhappy. They have waived a requirement to remain until April to attract the £5,000 bonus.

Airport bosses described the move as a goodwill gesture, but it is also designed to avoid a huge exodus and a subsequent recruitment headache in two months.



Manchester Evening news 15/01/03

[Groundgripper]

I note that Securicor are advertising in the Jobs North West newspaper for part time and full time seasonal staff for baggage screening at MAN. Full time £5.50 per hour, part time £5.00.
Requirements include age 21-60, alert with good communication skills and able to deal professionally with members of the public.

I reckon £5.50 ph translates into about £10.5K pa - will they get the staff they need or the staff they deserve?

[Max Angle]

will they get the staff they need or the staff they deserve? Good point, in fact they will not get the staff they need and we, and the travelling public, will not the staff we deserve to keep us safe.

[Viggen]

Slightly off-thread, but ... in my experience the security risk at Manchester airport isn't confined to the baggage halls. I work in the very near vicinity, and have lost count of the number of colleagues who have been forcibly relieved of their mobile phones and laptops whilst stopped at the traffic lights (terminal 1 / 2 junction). No good locking the doors - they punch the passenger window through. Laptops aren't even safe in the boot - they force it open while you are stopped.

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Guards' fury at sack over being off sick
LONG-serving security guards at Manchester Airport who were off sick over Christmas have been sacked in what union bosses claim is an "outrageous" breach of employment law.

Brian Bowan, of the Transport and General Workers' Union, said passenger safety could now be in jeopardy with guards too scared to take time off.

Union figures suggest 35 out of 92 security staff were off ill on Christmas Day, although this remains unconfirmed by the airport.

Seven guards have been sacked for unacceptable attendance and one guard dismissed had 15 years' service and no disciplinary record, according to the union, which accused bosses of scare tactics.

Frighten
Mr Bowan said the company were not only breaking employment law by not issuing warnings, but also their own company procedures. The union will now be looking into industrial tribunal proceedings, he added.

"This is a knee-jerk reaction designed to intimidate and frighten our members," he said.

"What effect is that going to have on passenger safety? If members are seriously ill, but frightened to take time off, they aren't going to be observant when checking passengers. In the current climate, you would think the airport would want their workers on top form."

The TGWU remain in official dispute with the company following pay cuts and increased hours imposed on guards last year. At the moment 25 guards are due to take the airport to industrial tribunal for claims including unfair dismissal and sexual discrimination.

A spokesman for Manchester Airport Aviation Services said: "All staff had previously been made aware that their sickness records were unacceptable."

Helen Tither Manchester Evening News 24/01/03