Summer Strikes Averted at Glasgow Airport Following Pay Agreements
Summer strikes at Glasgow Airport, one of Scotland's busiest airports, have been avoided after two new pay agreements were reached.
Nearly 400 employees at Glasgow Airport have accepted offers from their employers, ICTS and Menzies Aviation, removing the threat of strike action during major events such as the World Cup and Commonwealth Games.
The dispute involved two separate employers and workers in roles including ground services and passenger-facing positions in security search areas.
While strike action remains a possibility at Aberdeen and Edinburgh Airports, two groups of workers at Aberdeen also accepted new pay deals last week.
Carrie Donoghue, an industrial officer with the trade union Unite, stated:
"The deals mean there will be no disruption at Glasgow during the extremely busy summer period."
Earlier this year, workers had voted in favour of strike action, with Unite criticizing the companies for "choosing to boost profits before people" and demanding improved pay offers.
The planned strikes were expected to coincide with significant summer events, including Scots returning from trips to the USA for the World Cup, visitors arriving in Glasgow for the Commonwealth Games, and the school summer holidays.
Approximately 230 Glasgow staff employed by security company ICTS, who work directly with passengers in security search areas and flight processing, have agreed to a two-year pay deal. This includes a 5% increase in basic pay, shift allowances backdated to 1 January, and a one-off bank holiday.
In 2027, these workers will receive the Retail Price Index (RPI) inflation rate plus an additional 1% increase in basic and shift pay, along with improved terms and conditions effective from 1 January.
A further 160 ground services crew employed by Menzies Aviation will receive a 4.4% pay increase backdated to January, followed by a minimum 5% increase from 1 July.
Unite noted that this increase could reach as high as 11.1% for some employees.
The one-year pay deal covers Menzies dispatchers, allocators, airside agents, and controllers.
Strikes at Scottish Airports
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham commented:
"Hundreds of frontline workers at Glasgow airport have secured vastly improved pay deals.
This is a direct result of the workers refusing to accept their employers' pitiful pay offers and to fight for better pay which they successfully secured after the threat of strike action."
Menzies Aviation previously stated that the company's pay deals had "consistently increased above inflation" in recent years and expressed hope for an amicable resolution with Unite.
Last week, an agreement was reached at Aberdeen Airport between Unite and two employers, including ICTS.
This deal affected around 70 workers and mirrored the terms accepted by ICTS employees at Glasgow Airport.
Another agreement was reached between the union and Aberdeen Airport itself, covering approximately 70 workers in roles such as administrative staff, airfield operators, technicians, firefighters, and crew commanders.
However, an industrial action ballot involving ICTS HBS security staff remains open until 17 June.
Additionally, around 370 workers employed by Edinburgh Airport Limited as airport ambassadors, airside support officers, engineers, and managers continue to be in dispute with their employer.
