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Service Awards Cut

BOSSES branded as Scrooges have had a change of heart over cutting expensive long-service awards from some of their West Freugh staff.

Less than 20 hours after the “Free Press” made inquiries, SERCO Chief Executive David McGhie was on the base to announce the awards would be honoured.

SERCO have been called Scrooges by 22 of their staff.

They claimed the company have slammed shut in their faces, pages of a catalogue containing long-service gifts worth up to £400 because their employment will end just ten working days short of the necessary 20 years.

All the men, who are employed either on the airfield or test range, began work with SERCO on 12 July, 1982, when work on the base was privatised.

The jobs are now being taken over by Qinetiq from the end of this month.

One disgruntled employee, who did not want to be named, contacted the “Free Press” on behalf of the 22, to register their disgust.