Airport Staff Face Dispute Ballot

Airport security staff are voting on whether to take industrial action in a dispute over working conditions.

The results of a ballot of employees at Highland and Islands Airports Limited (HIAL) are expected tomorrow.

The Prospect union said members working in the group's security company AMSL could begin action as soon as Good Friday.

HIAL operates 11 airports including Inverness, Dundee and Stornoway.

Prospect national secretary Alan Denney said: We expect support for action to be overwhelming.

This will send a loud and clear message that members are fed-up with being treated as second-class workers in HIAL.

The terms and conditions they work under leaves them wondering just where ministers in the Scottish government, which owns the company, see the fair work agenda applying in this business.''

The union said HIAL has failed to agree equal pay, holidays and sick pay for AMSL workers since bringing security provision in-house several years ago.

Members will meet tomorrow to discuss the ballot result and consider a programme of action, including a walk-out, Prospect said.

An HIAL spokesman said: We are still awaiting the result of the ballot and confirmation from the union of their intended action.

In the meantime, we continue to urge the union to reconsider its entirely unreasonable pay claim, which amounts to almost 30%.

We are ready and willing to consider a more reasonable claim but the union has refused our offer to negotiate.

We would also stress to passengers that, whatever action the union takes, our airports will open as normal during Easter.

Passengers should continue to book their Easter holiday flights with confidence.''