A group of Thomas Cook workers plans to lobby Parliament today and hand in two petitions with more than 60,000 signatures highlighting their concerns over the collapse of the company.
The ex-employees who were not paid their monthly wages on Monday are angry that they and the firm were abandoned by the government.
The first of two petitions, with more than 50,000 signatures, will be handed in at Downing Street calling for a full inquiry into the failure and for Thomas Cook directors to pay back their bonuses.
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The second, with at least 10,000 signatures, will be delivered to the Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy calling on business secretary Andrea Leadsom to ensure the affected workers receive their unpaid wages.
Many of the workers attending the demonstration are to speak out about their personal experiences, which include problems with rent, mortgage payments and the challenge of buying food without any income.
They have had to claim universal credit but will not receive any payment until the end of October at the earliest.
The protest is being supported by the Unite union, which represents much of the 9,000 affected UK workforce.
Unite claims the government allowed the profitable Thomas Cook airline to collapse into compulsory liquidation, while Thomas Cook’s subsidiaries in Germany, Spain and Scandinavia, were able to continue to fly as they received support from their respective national governments.
Unite assistant general secretary Diana Holland said: “Unite is pleased to be supporting the lobby and protest in parliament that has been organised by Thomas Cook workers who lost their jobs without warning.
“The fact that workers are coming to parliament from all parts of the UK demonstrates just how angry workers are with the government which they rightly believe has abandoned them.
“This week workers have been left with no income as their wages were not paid.
“Workers do not understand how the profitable Thomas Cook airline was allowed to collapse while the European subsidiaries were able to continue to fly.
“The very least the Thomas Cook workers deserve, is to receive an answer to the question as to why the company was allowed to collapse as well an explanation from the government as to its lack of action in the lead up.”
Meanwhile, the union is organising a drop in session on Friday to support Thomas Cook workers who were based at Bristol airport.
Unite represents thousands of staff across the UK at Thomas Cook, principally at the company’s airline, including more than 70 in the Bristol area.
The event is being held between 10 am and 1pm at Tony Benn House, Victoria Street, Bristol BS1 6AY.
More: Interview: Thomas Cook ‘failed to grasp rescue chance in 2012’
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Travel businesses rush to snap up redundant Thomas Cook staff