Airporter employee treatment concern following sale

Concern has been expressed about the treatment of Airporter employees following the company’s purchase by Aircoach.

Aircoach bought Airporter in October and last week announced it was dropping the popular Derry to George Best Belfast City Airport route.

Derry Now understands Airporter staff were not told in advance about the Aircoach takeover. They only found out about it on the day, when they were approached by passengers who had read about it on social media.

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There was no advance or subsequent communication between staff, some of whom had worked for Airporter for 20 years, and the previous owners.

It has also emerged that Aircoach has introduced changes in the contracts of Airporter staff, possibly in contravention to the Transfer of Undertakings Protection of Employment (TUPE) Agreement.

The purpose of the TUPE Agreement is to protect employees if the business in which they are employed changes hands. Its effect is to move employees and any liabilities associated with them from the old employer to the new employer by operation of law.

Derry News has learned that Airporter employees previously had an annual holiday entitlement of 28 days. This has now been cut to 20 days, meaning the terms of their contracts may not be being honoured by their new employers.

The holiday entitlement of Airporter staff ran from January to January. However, with Aircoach, it is April to April. Airporter staff have been told they must use their outstanding holiday entitlement by December 31, 2022. They have also been informed they will not accrue any more holidays until April 2023.

The shift patterns of Airporter staff have also been changed, which means they must be available to drive 24 hours a day. In addition, they have had to take on cash handling responsibilities, which they never had before.

Airporter drivers were not informed in advance about the cessation of the Derry to George Best Belfast City Airport service and are consequently receiving complaints from disgruntled passengers who had booked the service well in advance.

Derry Now has been made aware that Airporter staff were upset they received no communication from the previous owners. “There was no personal message or good luck wished to drivers, some of whom had been with the company for more than 20 years, through thick and thin.”

This paper was told: “Because the drivers were not unionised, they could have been consulted about how the new situation could work for everybody, in terms of shift rotation and holiday entitlement. There was absolutely no consultation.

“Staff were hired by Airporter, they left previous employment, when there was a possibility the business was up for sale and their terms and conditions would change.”

In a requested comment from Aircoach, the company’s managing director, Dervla McKay told Derry Now: “We are committed to keeping staff's current terms and conditions, or if their terms are not as favourable as our standard terms, we are looking at improving them.

“We have been meeting and discussing all relevant changes to the business as it goes through the transition with our new North West based team.”