15th October 2011
Thomas Cook Airlines Cabin Crew Could Strike

Cabin Crew at holiday airline, Thomas Cook, are planning strike action after news broke out recently that upto 498 jobs at the airline are under threat.

In September, Thomas Cook Airlines announced it was cutting 250 staff and six aircraft from its UK fleet this winter. It began a 90-day consultation on September 6. The company claimed the number of actual redundancies would be "significantly less" than the 498 jobs at risk.

A consultation is due to be held this week and a ballot on industrial action is expected by the 1300 staff (out 1800) who are members of union, Unite.

Any industrial action could affect Thomas Cook Airlines flights to/from Newcastle along with Belfast, Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, East Midlands Gatwick, Glasgow, Manchester and Stansted.

Unite said its requests for a 'realistic' voluntary severance package in the current economic climate had been refused by management, with no change planned to the current policy of two weeks per year redundancy pay. Unite had requested a minimum of three weeks pay per year, plus a lump sum of £5,000. Cabin crew earn on average £15,000 a year.

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