Around 100 workers at Glasgow Airport are set to stage a 48-hour strike later this month, after failing to reach agreement in a long-running dispute over pay.
Unite the union confirmed that airside support officers, engineers, and managers will walk out from 06:00 on Wednesday 24 July until 05:59 on Friday 26 July — coinciding with the busy Glasgow Fair holiday period.
The action marks the first major disruption at the airport since its £1.53bn acquisition by AviAlliance, which bought over AGS Airports (the owners of Glasgow, Aberdeen and Southampton airports) in January.
A spokesperson for AGS said they were “extremely disappointed” by the strike announcement, noting that several “improved and fair” offers had been made since talks began in March. Contingency plans are now being prepared to minimise disruption.
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham warned that strike action was now “inevitable unless Glasgow Airport’s owners come to their senses”, adding: “We will support our members every step of the way in their fight for better jobs, pay and conditions.”
The latest 4% pay offer was rejected by 75 directly-employed staff at the airport.
Meanwhile, a further 350 workers involved in security and ground handling — though not directly employed by the airport — have also been engaged in separate pay negotiations. Of those, 250 ICTS security staff have now accepted a 5% pay deal, while 100 Swissport ground handlers are currently reviewing a revised offer.
