AVIATION unions warned the Scottish government yesterday that “doing nothing is not an option” as the imminent end of the furlough scheme threatens thousands of airport jobs.

Trade unions including GMB and Unite met with Scotland’s Transport Secretary Michael Matheson yesterday to table proposals for sustaining employment in the sector.

The move comes just days before the British government’s Job Retention Scheme is replaced by the inferior Job Support Scheme.

GMB Scotland organiser Bob Deavy said: “The Scottish government has said the UK government must do more. They are right, but it also means they must drop their own ambiguities that could help the sector recover post-Covid-19.

“Our members need to know the Scottish government is on their side in the immediate fight for jobs but also in the fight for the future of a sustainable aviation sector. It can’t be left to the UK government alone to decide their fate and we need an interdependent approach.”

Unite Scotland industrial officer Pat Mcilvogue said: “The aviation sector is teetering on the brink and doing nothing is not an option for thousands of workers and their families across Scotland who depend on their airport jobs.

“The imminent end of the furlough scheme is another cliff-edge moment for aviation jobs. There will be pain, but there is still hope for the sector and we want the Scottish government to meaningfully engage with our members, in line with its own fair work principles.”

Research commissioned by Unite Scotland found that the change to the Job Support Scheme could affect over 2,300 jobs that are directly or indirectly dependent on aviation, with a loss of £140 million to the Scottish economy.

A Scottish government spokesman called on Westminster to offer short-term financial relief over the winter.