TUI shops announcement further sign travel trade needs urgent help

TSSA General Secretary, Manuel Cortes, has described the announcement by major travel firm TUI that it is set to close a further 48 high street shops as "another sure sign our travel trade urgently needs help to get through this pandemic."

TUI – Britain's largest tour operator – said it would offer to redeploy employees at risk of redundancy to other stores or to work from home. The move follows the closure of 166 Tui shops announced in July 2020 that affected up to 900 jobs. 

Manuel Cortes said: 

"It’s been crystal clear for the past year that our travel trade has been badly hit by the pandemic, with little certainty about the future. 

"What we have heard from TUI is another sure sign our travel trade urgently needs help to get through this pandemic. Sadly, we are yet to hear a peep out of the Government about our call for sector specific assistance. 

“We welcome the fact TUI is offering to redeploy our members at risk of redundancy to other shops or to work from home. However, the company must be straight with our members that their rights, including pay and working conditions, remain the same no matter whether they work at home or in stores on our high streets – they are legally entitled to this". 

“Those rights are paramount and our union, on behalf of our members, will make that point loud and clear as we continue the fight to save our travel trade. We are also calling on TUI to meet us anytime, anywhere to discuss their latest proposals.  

"I call on all travel trade workers to join our TSSA family today as we are the union that will stand up for your rights."