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Aberdeen Airport strike action to go ahead after pay offer rejection

 

Unite the union today (25 June) announced that its membership at Aberdeen Airport have rejected the latest pay offer, and voted to continue strike action this week.

 

The latest pay offer by Aberdeen Airport was rejected by 62.8 per cent, and by 71.5 per cent to reject the pension proposal and to continue with the dispute. The ballot turnout was 96 per cent. Strike action will now go ahead at Aberdeen Airport on 27 and 28 June both commencing at 06:00 to 10:00 a.m.

 

The pay offer for 2019 by Aberdeen Airport remained the basic 3 per cent with a new one off payment of £600 for full time employees but the bonus plan has now been removed. Next year, Aberdeen Airport proposed an annual pay offer identical to the Retail Price Index figure in January 2020.

 

AGS Airports Limited who own Aberdeen and Glasgow Airports remain unwilling to discuss or reopen the consultation on closing the pension scheme.This position breaks an Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (Acas) agreement made in 2016 to keep the scheme open to existing members.

 

Unite has also reiterated its concerns over airport security following media revelations at the weekend, which highlighted breaches in airport security due to contingency staff brought in during strike action at Aberdeen and Glasgow Airports. Aberdeen Airport is part of AGS Airports Limited group, which also owns Glasgow where a series of industrial stoppages are taking pace over the coming days. Aberdeen Airport increased after tax profits from £10.7 million in 2016 to £19.1 million in 2017.

 

Shauna Wright, Unite regional industrial officer, said: “Unite took the latest pay offer back to our membership at Aberdeen Airport to let them decide on the course of action. It was vital that our members had the opportunity to consider and respond to Aberdeen Airport and the AGS Group. The message our members have sent could not be any clearer or any louder.”

 

“Let’s hope this second strong mandate shows Aberdeen Airport management that they need to come back around the table with an offer Unite can support so that we can find a remedy to this dispute. Unite’s members have democratically voted to continue strike action and this action will continue unless they receive a significantly better offer. We will wait to hear from airport management on whether they wish to get back round the negotiating table or whether they are more interested in needlessly escalating this dispute.”


Unite members at Aberdeen Airport have previously taken two 12-hour stoppages on 7 and 10 June. In April, Unite members at Aberdeen Airport supported strike action by 88.3 per cent on a 79.5 per cent turnout over the pay claim and the proposals to close the final salary pension scheme.

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Unite Scotland is the country’s biggest and most diverse trade union with around 150,000 members. The union is led in Scotland by Pat Rafferty.

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