Strike action threat for Edinburgh and Glasgow airports this summer as pay offers rejected

Strikes could hit Edinburgh’s two busiest airports this summer if a breakthrough in pay talks is not reached after ground services crew voted to reject offers.

About 600 workers employed by Menzies Aviation at Edinburgh and Glasgow airports, including dispatchers, allocators, airside agents and controllers, had rejected two separate pay offers, union Unite has said.

The strikes could impact both Edinburgh and Glasgow airports | Scotsman/PA

A pay increase of 4.25 per cent had been offered to about 300 Menzies Aviation workers at Glasgow airport.

Unite said around 300 workers based at Edinburgh Airport had separately rejected a pay rise worth around 4 per cent.

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The union declined to say how long it would give Menzies to improve its offer before launching any strike ballot, but the company said it had invited the union to resume talks this week.

Unite industrial officer Carrie Binnie said: “Summer strike action looms over Edinburgh and Glasgow airports because the pay offers on the table from Menzies Aviation aren’t good enough.

“Menzies Aviation has the ability to improve its offers and they can easily resolve this pay dispute without any disruption to the travelling public. If the company fail to table a better offer to our members, Unite will have no option, but to ballot our members for strikes over the summer holidays.”

Unite said it had reached a pay deal with Swissport, the other main ground handling company at the airports.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “Unite’s Menzies members have emphatically rejected unacceptable pay offers. The Menzies group is posting sky-high profits and our members who contribute towards this success deserve far better from the company.”

Phil Lloyd, senior vice-president UK of Menzies Aviation, said: “Following the rejection of recent pay award proposals, we remain committed to seeking a resolution.

“We have invited Unite to return to the table to continue discussions this week and hope to reach an agreement which is workable for both the business and our employees at both Edinburgh and Glasgow.

“We will continue to work to pursue an agreeable solution to protect services for our airline and airport partners and their customers.”

The airports said the dispute was a matter for Menzies and Unite and they were not directly involved.

Last month, Unite agreed a 5.8 per cent pay deal for some 350 of its members employed directly by Edinburgh Airport, plus improvements to working conditions, including paternity, income protection and training policies, which it said was worth a total of up to 8 per cent.

The staff work in security, terminal operations and search areas, delivery screening and airside support services.

The union said it was the latest in a series of deals as part of its Runway to Success campaign “to deliver better jobs, pay and condition for our membership”.

Unite won a 4.5 per cent pay increase in December for more than 100 North Air tanker drivers, which supply fuel to airlines at Aberdeen, Edinburgh Glasgow, Inverness, Kirkwall, Sumburgh and Stornoway airports.