Air traffic controllers to be balloted on new pay offer

Air traffic controllers at regional airports are suspending industrial action pending a ballot on a new pay offer.

Prospect union members went on strike last month amid a pay dispute with operators Highlands and Islands Airports Limited (Hial).

The union said following a revised pay offer from Hial and subsequent consultation with reps, air traffic controllers will be balloted on whether or not to accept the new pay offer.

The ballot opens on June 12 and closes on June 28, with ongoing action short of a strike suspended while the ballot is open.

If the pay offer is rejected then action short of a strike will resume at 12.01am on June 29.

David Avery, Prospect negotiations officer, said "The offer we have received from Hial is sufficiently different to the original offer that we want to give members the chance to properly consider it and vote on whether to accept it.

"Prospect is not making a recommendation on whether to accept or reject the offer and so as to remain neutral we will not be making any further statement at this time.''

On May 23, six Hial airports - Inverness, Dundee, Benbecula and Stornoway in the Outer Hebrides, Sumburgh in Shetland and Kirkwall in Orkney - were shut for 24 hours due to strike action.