Holidaymakers could be on course for a summer of travel chaos as a union threatens strike action at one of Scotland’s busiest airports.
Unite is threatening action which would ‘ground planes and passengers’ unless its workers at Glasgow Airport are handed pay rises.
Around 450 workers are on course to walk out amid disputes with three companies at the airport, which at the height of summer sees hundreds-of-thousands of holidaymakers jet off on holiday.
Sharon Graham, Unite’s general secretary, warned: ‘Hundreds of workers are involved in disputes at the airport.
‘Summer strike action which would ground planes and passengers remains on the cards.
‘These highly profitable companies can easily afford to put the minds of the travelling public at rest by making fair offers to workers.’
Unionised staff working for Glasgow Airport, ICTS Central Search, and Swissport are all involved with bitter rows with their bosses.
Staff employed by Glasgow Airport have backed taking industrial action in their bid to secure better wages – with 98.7 per cent of workers balloted backing strike action.
Unite is threatening action which would ‘ground planes and passengers’ at Scotland’s busiest airports
Potential strike action could lead to chaos during the busy summer holiday season
The move comes after 100 Glasgow Airport staff employed by the company recently rejected a basic four per cent pay offer.
Around 350 airport workers employed by both Swissport and ICTS Central Search are on a collision course with their employers, with them and their union engaged in an active dispute with bosses.
So far only those employed by Glasgow Airport have backed strike action, and no date has been announced, but if staff at the other two vote for action, the union has warned walkouts would hit the busiest point of the summer.
Pat McIlvogue, Unite industrial officer, threatened: ‘Strike action has moved a step closer after our Glasgow Airport Limited members emphatically backed industrial action.
‘We believe the airport’s new management is attempting to put us on a collision course which would bring out hundreds of workers on strike during the peak summer holiday season.’
Glasgow Airport workers include airport ambassadors, airside support officers, engineers, and managers.
Some 250 ICTS Central Search workers are in dispute with their bosses over pay, working conditions and understaffing.
The staff, who deal with passengers in the security search area and process them for flights, are currently been balloted on a pay offer on basic pay, shift allowances and overtime rates.
And more than 100 workers at Swissport – the country’s largest ground handler – are in dispute with their bosses over working rotas, work-life balance, and health and safety concerns.
Providing ground handling services, including ticketing and baggage handling, Unite has said its members there are struggling with chronic fatigue and understaffing.
It said a consultative ballot on a new offer made by Swissport to address concerns had been put to its workers – but if the offer is rejected Unite warned it would open a full industrial action ballot.
Ms Graham, who has been general secretary since August 2021, said: ‘Employers at Glasgow Airport will not get away with underpaying or mistreating Unite’s members.’
The threats come just months after the group which owns Glasgow Airport, AGS Airports, was bought by AviAlliance in a massive £1.53 billion deal.
During the summer Glasgow is a major hub for Scots wanting to jet off aboard and last year bosses estimated around 600,000 people would pass through its doors in just three weeks.
The airport serves popular holiday destinations such as the Spanish Costas, the Algarve in Portugal and Orlando in the United States.
Glasgow Airport, ICTS Central Search, and Swissport were all approached for comment.
