Scottish airport staff to vote on strike action

News has just come in from our Inverness airport parking team that 160 staff at 10 of Scotland’s airports are considering taking strike action over pay.

According to sources close to our airport car parking operation at Inverness Airport, the dispute is likely to affect 160 security staff based at Barra, Benbecula, Campbeltown, Dundee, Islay, Inverness, Kirkwall, Stornoway, Sumburgh, Tiree and Wick Airports.

The employees concerned are being asked to vote on strike action over a ‘miserly’ 1% pay increase by Prospect Trade Union. If the workers do vote in favour of strike action, next month’s Scottish Open Championship at Castle Stuart near Inverness could be affected by delays and disruption to flights.

At this stage Highland and Islands Airports Ltd (HIAL) who owns and operates the 10 airports is remaining upbeat about the matter stating that it is confident operations would not be disrupted and that non-security staff could be trained to cover the resource shortage.

Union spokesman Alan Denney meanwhile, said that strike action was likely to take place in the week commencing 4^th July and comes as a direct result of HIAL’s refusal to offer staff sickness, shift or overtime rates.

He went on to add: “It’s incredible that the Scottish government supports a living wage of £7.15 an hour, but is content to allow many of its own staff to work for less without the basic working rights that are standard for any worker in the private or public sectors.”