Strike dates set to hit Highlands and Islands airports in lead up to Christmas
Unite the union, which represents members across eleven airports in the Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd (HIAL) group, has confirmed the date of its next strike day.
Members include those working in fire and rescue, security and administration sectors.
The strike action will take place from 12.01am until 11.59pm on December 19, 2022.
Members of Unite voted by 73.5 per cent in favour of taking strike action and by 92.8 per cent in favour of taking action short of strike in a bid to improve pay for rural communities amid a cost of living crisis.
The union had previously warned that strike action will cause huge disruption over the winter break and festive period.
The workforce has already rejected a five per cent offer which they deemed unacceptable with inflation soaring to hit a 40-year high of 14.2 per cent (RPI).
The eleven airports across the HIAL Group are Barra, Benbecula, Campbeltown, Dundee, Inverness, Islay, Kirkwall, Stornoway, Sumburgh, Tiree and Wick.
Shauna Wright, Unite industrial officer said: “Unite does not accept that HIAL, a private limited company wholly-owned by the Scottish Government, does not have the ability to increase the offer.
"Claims previously made that it is bound by funding obligations set by the Scottish Government, will not placate our members or settle this dispute.
"Unite is therefore calling on the Scottish Government as a matter of urgency to meet with us, the workers and HIAL and to put forward additional funding that will improve pay, terms and conditions in the Highlands and Islands and bring an end to this dispute.”
