The
Transport and General Workers Union (T&G) has welcomed the broadcast of the
Whistleblower programme on BBC1 last night, which exposed flaws in the security
system at Manchester
Airport..
The
union said the programme’s allegations of poor management and security
shortcuts served as evidence that the warnings given by the T&G to airport
managers, directors and councillors when the cuts started to be implemented in
2001 should not have been dismissed at the time.
The
union – the largest at the airport – called on the airport to respond to the
programme in a positive way and not to seek to blame individuals or start a
witch hunt for the whistleblower.
“Those
who implemented the cuts which have led to chronic and persistent shortages of
security staff should be shamefaced this morning,” said Dave McCall, the
T&G regional secretary for the North
West.
"We
say that enough is now enough. We will be seeking urgent meetings at the
highest levels of the airport to demand that the directors take the situation
in hand.”
McCall
said the security of the travelling public and the communities living close to
the airport must now be put much higher up the agenda.
"Passengers…
will want to know that positive action is being taken to ensure equipment
really does work, that bags really are checked and that staff are able to do
their jobs in a culture which does not encourage shortcuts," he said.
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