Strike action 'inevitable' at Scots airports after workers vote in favour amid pay row

Strike action at Aberdeen and Glasgow airports is “inevitable”, according to Unite the union, after workers overwhelmingly voted in favour amid a pay dispute.

Unite confirmed the outcome of the vote on Tuesday, July 2, with strike action supported by 98.5 per cent of around 200 ICTS (UK) Limited workers at Glasgow and a further 100 or so at Aberdeen Airport, for a total of 89.7 per cent in favour of strike action.

The union announced that the ICTS Central Search employees, who deal with passengers directly in the security search areas and process them for flights, could start the action in mid-July unless ICTS significantly moves on pay in the coming days.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “Unite’s members employed by ICTS at Aberdeen and Glasgow airports will not tolerate low pay.

“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.

Mr McIlvogue called on AGS, the owner of Aberdeen and Glasgow airports, to intervene in a last gasp attempt to get ICTS to step back from the brink of causing widespread travel disruption. 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 per cent, backdated to January 2024 and a £500 one-off payment.

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