The company has refused to enter into early conciliation and the union is submitting claims of unlawful dismissal at an employment tribunal on behalf of members.

Unfortunately, due to the current crisis this is likely to take months to resolve and get justice for the dismissed members. Prospect will continue to support members throughout the tribunal process.

Union recognition

Prospect has also submitted a voluntary recognition request to PAML. No response has been received. A formal recognition claim has been submitted to the the Central Arbitration Committee (CAC) – again a potentially lengthy process.

Prospect is keeping up the lobbying pressure on PAML. The STUC, the umbrella body for unions in Scotland, has written to the Scottish Government, copied to Prestwick airport, asking them to intercede both as Government and PAML’s landlord.

Prospect negotiator David Avery points out that BA has furloughed its heavy maintenance base at Glasgow as have the Ryanair facilities at Stansted and Edinburgh.

“PAML’s claims that the jobs are critical, or that the job protection scheme does not apply, have been shown to be untrue. I hope the company will reconsider its position and not enforce the imposed pay cut at the end of April," Avery said.

“Instead we want them to follow the example of the rest of the industry and take up the assistance offer by government to furlough the workforce and stop putting staff at risk by asking them to work during a pandemic.

“If PAML does reduce members’ pay at the end of the month, we will provide advice to members about possible claims for unlawful deduction of wages,” he concluded.