Terminals run by Highlands and Islands Airports (Hial) will suffer no further disruption from strikes after workers and bosses struck a pay deal.
Scottish Government-owned Hial has been forced to close several airports in recent months due to rolling industrial action in an ongoing pay dispute.
Unions recently agreed to suspend the strikes as “a gesture of good faith”, while they balloted members on a new offer worth 7% extra pay annually for most workers, up from 5% previously.
Loganair to ‘partially’ restore services
The suspension of industrial action came too late for Scottish airline Loganair, which had already reduced its schedule for lifeline passenger services to the islands.
But Loganair said today it would ‘partially’ restore affected services from April 24 – a week earlier than planned – after Unions confirmed the long-running dispute is over.
According to Hial’s bosses, the revised offer exceeds “the original flexibility” of government pay policy.
Hial employees earning between £44,000 and £80,000 are to get an extra 5%.
Anyone above that pay grade will get 4% more, while a 5% increase to shift allowances has also been agreed.
Unite’s members are to be congratulated for leading the fight to secure better jobs, pay and conditions.”
Sharon Graham, general-secretary, Unite
Unite the Union said its 120 members at Hial – security staff, baggage handlers and ground crew, as well as those working in fire and rescue, security and administration – had voted 93% in favour of the new deal.
Sharon Graham, general-secretary, Unite, added: “Members across the Highlands and Islands airports stood firm and fought to achieve a positive result.
“Unite’s members are to be congratulated for leading the fight to secure better jobs, pay and conditions.”
And Shauna Wright, industrial officer at the union, said: “The deal secured at the Hial Group represents a significant shift in position from when the industrial action by Unite members started in December.
“There has been movement by the company and, ultimately, the Scottish Government.
“We are pleased our members will receive a significant boost to their pay and conditions. We are also urging the Scottish Government to grant Hial the flexibility to negotiate with trade unions going forward.
“This must entail a review of how the public pay policy actually works in practice.”
Prospect said fire and security workers across Hial’s 11 airports – Inverness and all the smaller airports in the Highlands and Islands, plus the terminal in Dundee – were 75% in favour of the revised deal.
Welcoming an end to the dispute, Prospect negotiations officer Jane Rose said: “Our members at Hial provide a vital service for the Highlands and Islands, and deserve to have their work and skills properly compensated.
Compromise
“This deal has required compromise from all involved and I thank Scottish ministers for giving Hial the authority to reach a deal.
“It is clear there are wider pay structure issues which remain to be addressed and we look forward to working constructively with Hial to tackle these as we move, almost immediately, into 2023-24 discussions”.
We are sorry that the industrial action and route suspensions have caused considerable disruption for passengers and our customers, particularly for those on our island communities who rely on our airports to support essential and lifeline services.”
Inglis Lyon, managing director, Hial
Hial said it was “pleased the enhanced offer has been accepted by colleagues”.
Inglis Lyon, the Inverness firm’s managing director, added: “The most recent offer exceeded the original flexibility of the Scottish Government pay policy.
“We are sorry that the industrial action and route suspensions have caused considerable disruption for passengers and our customers, particularly for those on our island communities who rely on our airports to support essential and lifeline services.
“We also apologise for the significant impact the action has had on our airline partners.
“This positive result will provide our partner airlines with the certainty they require to plan air connectivity for their passengers.”
A spokesman for Glasgow Airport-based Loganair said: “We are heartened and relieved to learn of the settlement of the pay dispute.
“We can all now focus on delivering a busy summer season ahead – the first full year of open international travel since the pandemic – without fear of rolling disruption to island flights from strikes and work-to-rule actions.”
Conversation