Gatwick taxi drivers set for airport protest as drivers threatened with ‘fire and rehire’ tactics

Around 300 taxi drivers working at Gatwick Cars Ltd are being threatened with 'fire and rehire’ and forced onto a vastly inferior zero hours contract, which will dramatically cut their pay, say union representatives.

According to Unite Union, Gatwick Cars are demanding its drivers sign a zero hours contract and will grab a huge 40 per cent of the drivers’ fares.

The company has informed the workforce that they have to sign the contracts by 1 July 2022 or not receive any further work.

As a result of the changes, the drivers will be staging a protest against the company’s plans this Friday from 6am in the vicinity of Gatwick Airport.

Many of the workers are currently part of an employment tribunal case which will determine their employment status.

However, Unite Union say the company is pre-empting this and insisting that its rate from the drivers’ fares should increase from 23 per cent to 40 per cent in order to cover the drivers’ holiday pay, pension contributions and also to increase its own commission.

Gatwick Cars Ltd operate the taxis at the airport on a contract tendered by Gatwick Airports Limited (GAL). The drivers have repeatedly asked GAL to intervene but the company has refused to do so and drivers have accused GAL of trying to wash its hands of the problem.

Gatwick Cars are also changing its policy which currently allows drivers to operate a vehicle up to seven years old. It now plans to reduce that timeframe to five years, making it far more expensive to operate a vehicle.

Sharon Graham, Unite General Secretary, said: “Gatwick Cars’ conduct is shameful. In a fire and rehire-style attack, it is combining a zero hours contract with a threat to sign or be sacked in under 48 hours.  This behaviour brings shame to the owners of Gatwick who must step in to prevent this exploitation taking hold at the airport.

“Unite will not allow this attack on our members to go unchallenged and will ensure that all possible measures are utilised to ensure justice for our taxi driver members.”

Andrew Stanley-Ward, Unite Regional Officer, said: “The planned demonstration is just the beginning of the campaign to ensure a fair deal for our taxi driver members, this will inevitably lead to disruption at the airport.

“If Gatwick Cars won’t behave like a decent company than Gatwick Airport should make it do the right thing or strip it of the contract. Gatwick Airport tenders this contract and it has a moral duty to ensure that its taxi drivers are not exploited.”