Union refutes claim that airport workers now back ID cards

ID car trials are being carried out at London City airport

The next stage of the government’s controversial identity card plan faces continued opposition from trade unions, despite ministerial claims that airport workers involved in trialling the technology are “very supportive of the scheme”.

ID cards are being tested with airside staff at Manchester and London City airports, prior to a wider rollout of the scheme after 2010.

Unions have been traditionally opposed to the plan, with a motion raised by airport workers at last year’s TUC conference to oppose identity cards “with all the means at their disposal” being passed overwhelmingly.

When questioned on this vote in a debate in parliament last week, home office minister Meg Hillier said that home secretary Jacqui Smith had visited Manchester last month and found trade unions “very supportive of the scheme”.

But Unite, the union that represents airside workers at Manchester Airport, said there had been no change of position and that members were still not in favour of carrying cards.

“We are fundamentally opposed to the scheme but are engaging with government on an 18-month evaluation phase while continuing to raise concerns on behalf of members,” said a spokesman.

Many staff are concerned that they must pay for the cards themselves and that new recruits have to wait for security clearance before they are paid.

But Hillier insisted to Computing that discussions with workers had been constructive.

“At Manchester and London City airports where discussions have focused on the practical benefits that identity cards can bring their members, union representatives have welcomed the opportunity to address speeding up pre-employment checks and making it easier to move between jobs,” she said.

The government has targeted airside workers and young people as among those who would most benefit from the ID card scheme, with the aim to create a critical mass of cardholders before a wider rollout.

It also faces opposition from the British Airline Pilots' Association (Balpa) whose members will also be obliged to carry cards. The Association said its lawyers are considering legal action.