Edinburgh Airport: Over 100 airport workers to strike next month after 'insulting poverty pay offer'

More than 100 workers based at Edinburgh Airport will take strike action next month after unanimous ballot support.

The employees are part of OCS Group, which covers workers who aid passengers with reduced mobility issues, including assisting with wheelchairs and ambilift vehicles for travellers at the airport.

Unite said the workers were taking action during an escalating dispute over poverty pay.

The dispute centres on union claims that OCS management tabled the lowest possible wage offer of £12.60 an hour, matching the Scottish Living Wage minimum rate, which workers overwhelmingly rejected.

Workers have unanimously backed strike action in a ballot, with a turnout of over 90 per cent. OCS workers at Edinburgh Airport are now set for a series of 48-hour stoppages during September.

The strike action is set to take place in September. | Bloomberg via Getty Images

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “Unite’s OCS membership have had enough and they are fully prepared to fight back through strike action to secure fair pay. We will back our members all the way in their fight for better jobs, pay and conditions at Edinburgh Airport.”

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Strike action will take place on September 3, 4, 7 and 8.

Industrial action will continue across a further ten days next month, extending from September 11 to September 26.

OCS has tabled ‘an insulting poverty offer’, Unite officer says

Carrie Binnie, Unite industrial officer, said: “OCS workers are vital to assisting passengers with mobility issues at Edinburgh Airport. The company’s management should be valuing and rewarding the workers instead it has tabled an insulting poverty pay offer.

“OCS has a matter of days to resolve this dispute before strike action starts, which will be entirely its fault.”

READ MORE: 200 workers at Edinburgh Airport to vote on strike action