The British Airline Pilots' Association (BALPA),
the airline pilot's union, has opposed government plans to trial ID
cards in the airline industry.
On Friday November 21, ministers are expected to publish draft
regulations to set up a trial requiring air side staff at
Manchester and London City airports to sign up for an ID card
before they can get security passes to work there.
BALPA General Secretary Jim McAuslan, said, "We have explained
time after time why the ID cards will not improve airport security.
The government is just seeking to use our members as guinea
pigs."
BALPA will be running its annual conference at Heathrow this
coming weekend, where the union will discuss its reaction to the
government's ID card policy.
"If the regulations are approved, and if pilots who refuse to
register for an ID card are thereby denied access air side to their
aircraft, putting their jobs at risk, there will be widespread
anger," McAuslan said.
"We want to avoid an industrial dispute, we want the government
to think again. We are consulting our lawyers and will determine
our future action."