Manchester City region draws up plans to support Thomas Cook staff

A taskforce to support Thomas Cook staff affected by the collapse of the travel company has been set up by the Manchester city-region’s authorities.

The group is made up of trades unions, Jobcentre Plus and Manchester Airports Group (MAG).

Credit: PA

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Roughly 3,000 people were working for Thomas Cook in Greater Manchester, with more than 900 cabin crew helping 2.8 million travellers through Manchester Airport each year, a tenth of the airport’s passenger numbers.

Affected staff will be able to access advice and support via a single web portal or through email: info@gmthomascook.com.

Credit: PA

Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, said "my heart goes out to all those affected by the collapse of Thomas Cook...I know this news has hit them very hard, leaving them without a job and in many cases three weeks’ pay"

Thomas Cook employees have been told to start looking for new jobs. Credit: ITV News

The GMCA helped to co-ordinate a similar taskforce for those employees affected by the relocation of Shop Direct from Oldham to the East Midlands in 2018 – on that occasion more than 200 at-threat jobs were safeguarded and retained in Greater Manchester, with assistance provided to a further 1,400 people.