Summer strikes averted at Scottish airports as pay deals struck

Summer strikes at two of Scotland's busiest airports have been averted after new pay deals were struck.

Nearly 400 workers at Glasgow Airport have accepted offers from bosses at ICTS and Menzies Aviation, lifting the threat of strikes during the World Cup and Commonwealth Games.

More than 400 workers employed by Edinburgh Airport have also accepted a two-year pay deal.

Two groups of workers accepted a new pay deal at Aberdeen last week but its security staff could still strike.

Carrie Donoghue, an industrial officer with Unite, said the deals mean there will be "no disruption at Glasgow during the extremely busy summer period."

Earlier this year, workers had backed strike action with Unite saying the companies were "choosing to boost profits before people" and calling for better pay offers.

The strikes would have likely clashed with some of the summer's big sporting events, with Scots returning from trips to the USA for the World Cup, or with visitors flying into Glasgow to see the Commonwealth Games, as well as the school summer holidays.

Around 230 of the Glasgow staff work for security company ICTS, dealing with passengers directly in security search areas and processing them for flights.

They have agreed a two-year pay deal that includes a 5% increase in basic pay, shift allowances backdated to 1 January, and a one-off bank holiday.

In 2027, workers will receive the RPI inflation rate plus 1% more basic and shift pay, alongside a boost to terms and conditions from 1 January.

A further 160 ground services crew employed by Menzies Aviation will receive a 4.4% increase backdated to January, followed by a minimum pay increase of 5% from 1 July.

Unite said this could rise to as much as 11.1% for some workers.

The one year pay deal covers Menzies dispatchers, allocators, airside agents, and controllers.

In Edinburgh the new offer includes a pay uplift of £1,800 or 5.5% – whichever is greater - in 2026 alongside improvements to shift, sickness and paternity pay.

In 2027, the workers are to receive 4% or the RPI inflation rate plus 0.5% effective of January 2027.

There are also similar enhancements to wider terms and conditions in the second year of the pay deal.

The workers who will receive the deal include airport ambassadors, airside support officers, engineers, and managers.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: "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."

On the resolution in Edinburgh, Graham said the result was only achieved by workers being prepared to take strike action if necessary.

She said: "Hundreds of Unite's members employed at Edinburgh airport stood firm to get a better deal.

"It's another win for Unite in the aviation industry in Scotland."

Menzies Aviation previously said that the company's pay deals had "consistently increased above inflation" in recent years, and that it had remained hopeful of coming to an amicable resolution with Unite.

Last week an agreement was reached at Aberdeen Airport between Unite and two employers, one of whom was ICTS.

That deal affected about 70 workers and was identical to the terms accepted by the ICTS workers at Glasgow Airport.

Another agreement was reached between the union and the airport itself, covering a further 70 workers who handle roles like administrative staff, airfield operators, technicians, firefighters and crew commanders.

However a industrial action ballot involving ICTS HBS security staff is still ongoing and will remain open until 17 June.