A dispute between Liverpool airport baggage handlers and their bosses has turned bitter over the threat of deducted wages for strikers.

Servisair employees are discontinuously striking against the possibility of 37 compulsory redundancies.

Workers in Speke have been walking out for two hours in a morning and afternoon, for four days a week.

Now the Runcorn-based firm has told picketers they are not allowed to return to their posts on any day they choose to strike. And Servisair warned employees they will not be paid for that day's shift if they take action.

As relations between both sides remain at deadlock, the GMB union was incensed by an apparent move to confiscate ID passes from strikers.

Servisair has attempted to persuade Peel Holdings, the airport's owners, to seize the identification from workers.

Liverpool airport bosses, not having been given any notice of formal termination or suspension of anyone's employment, refused the request.

Accordingly, GMB - who have accused the company of losing jobs "merely for profit" - is considering legal action against Servisair and wrote a strongly-worded letter, via its solicitor, to the baggage handling firm. It said: "We note the company position regarding partial performance. "Should you carry out this threat (docking strikers a whole day's pay for a four-hour walk-out) we would have no option but to take the matter to an employment tribunal.

"Our union clients strongly reject the company's position on this, and we consider that such action on your part is unlawful."

Up to 101 staff are walking out as Servisair draft in replacements from other airports to deal with baggage from airlines including Ryanair, Easyjet, KLM, FlyBe and Hungarian-based WizzAir.

Simpsons Solicitors also described the removal of air-side passes threat as "sinister" as the dispute showed no sign of being resolved.

The dispute centres on a demand from Servisair instructing 37 compulsory redundancies while making existing staff carry out more duties.

The union argue they are already understaffed and have promised to undertake the extra work, but only with the current workforce numbers.

Despite repeated calls to outline the position, Servisair declined to comment, although a spokesman added: "We are disappointed that the strike is ongoing.

"We are looking to resolve this, but neither are yet in agreement."

Eddie Parker, from GMB, said: "Servisair continues to bring in outside labour and put them up in premium hotels, paying them breakfast, lunch and dinner.

"We thoroughly reject the company not allowing our members back to work and refusing to pay them for hours worked on discontinuous action days.

"Members are aware who is to be made redundant, as Servisair have issued at risk from redundancy letters to 37 employees who are to be involved in one to ones.

"However, all the other members have shown a solidarity to their colleagues by continuing with the industrial action given all the above intimidation by Servisair."

Liverpool Airport, who have remained neutral in the dispute, said the events had caused little disruption, and passengers had not been subjected to delays.

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