Strikes ‘inevitable’ for Aberdeen and Glasgow airports as pay dispute escalates
Unite has repeated calls for AGS, the company that owns the two airports, to intervene over the stalemate on worker pay.
Strike action at Aberdeen and Glasgow airports is “inevitable” said the Unite union after workers overwhelmingly voted to strike in a pay dispute.
Unite confirmed the outcome of the vote on Tuesday with strike action supported by 98.5% of around 200 ICTS (UK) Limited workers at Glasgow and a further 100 or so at Aberdeen airport, for a total of 89.7% in favour of strike action.
Unite confirmed that the ICTS Central Search employees, who deal with passengers directly in the security search areas and process them for flights, could start action in mid-July unless ICTS significantly moves on pay in the coming days.
“ICTS is a very profitable company, yet it is refusing to make our members a fair pay offer. Unite will back our ICTS members every step of the way in their fight for better jobs, pay and conditions.”
Unite’s lead industrial officer for aviation in Scotland Pat McIlvogue said ICTS had chosen to take the dispute to the point of strike action “rather than act in a responsible way by negotiating a fair pay offer with Unite”.
“Strike action is now inevitable because 300 ICTS workers at Aberdeen and Glasgow airports have been left with no choice but to fight for what they deserve,” he said.
He added: “Without these workers, the airports simply can’t operate.”
ICTS central search workers at the two Scottish airports have already rejected a basic pay increase of 4%, backdated to January 2024 and a £500 one-off payment.
