National Air Traffic Control Demo

12 June 2013, 07:11 | Updated: 30 March 2016, 13:50

Staff from the National Air Traffic Control centre in Hampshire will join a big demo in London later over possible job losses.

The European Commission wants to halve Air Traffic Management costs by 2020.

Unions are worried it'll lead to ten per cent job cuts at centres like Swanwick near Fareham.

NATS staff are also concerned that the proposals from the commission could mean the service provided to airlines and passengers will suffer and put safety at risk.

Emily Boase, Prospect National Secretary, said:

"The UK is one of the most efficient providers of air traffic control services, with the least delays in Europe. All this will be put at risk if the commission's proposals are carried through."

Jeremy Gautrey, PCS Aviation Group Secretary, said:

"There is no bigger risk to safety and service delivery in air traffic than cuts to air traffic management staff. Cuts in staff and forced redundancies will be met robustly with industrial action by ATM workers across Europe."

The demo will take place outside the Department for Transport at 2pm.