HIAL staff to start overtime ban and strikes over pay

Trade union Unite says its members at all Highlands and Islands Airports (HIAL) are to implement an overtime ban.

Unite says its members will take part in what it terms a “discontinuous overtime ban” across the 11 bases starting next Friday and continuing each day up to and including March 2.

The union’s move comes in addition to a series of 24hour strikes next Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.

To add to the growing catalogue of unrest, Prospect, which represents fire and security workers at HIAL, is also threatening a “spring of continual disruption”.

Both unions are furious at HIAL’s 5% pay offer, while inflation is around double that figure.

Next week’s strikes will affect operations at Barra, Benbecula, Stornoway, Sumburgh and Tiree airports, although Campbeltown, Dundee, Inverness, Islay and Wick John O’Groats are due to operate normally.

Kirkwall Airport will operate on a limited basis, opening between 7.15am and 1pm on strike days for inter-island flights only.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “This industrial action will fully close a number of airports, starting with Dundee.

“Other airports will either operate on a limited basis or be significantly disrupted.

“Let’s be clear that the source of this dispute is due to the inflexibility shown by airport management and the Scottish Government to pay these workers what they deserve.”

The Unite workforce includes security staff, baggage handlers and ground crew, along with those working in fire and rescue, security and administration.

Unite says the Scottish Government has not yet directly met the union to discuss pay, recruitment and retention of workers across the HIAL group.

Unite industrial officer

Shauna Wright added: “Unite has no choice but to escalate our industrial action across the HIAL Group.

“Our members keep the airports operating in isolated and rural communities.

“They help to ensure businesses can trade, workers can travel and visitors can come to the islands.

“The way they have been treated by the Scottish Government and HIAL management is deeply disappointing.”

She added: “Local communities, workers and businesses should turn their fire on the Scottish Government for ignoring these vital workers and allowing this dispute to escalate to a point where airports will now be fully closed.”

A HIAL spokesman noted its local teams are “working closely with emergency partners and our airlines” in a bid to minimise disruption.

He added: “Contingency arrangements are in place for emergency situations during this period of industrial action.

“HIAL operates wellestablished local on-call medical emergency processes, and this will continue.

“Unite has confirmed where medical or other emergencies arise, cover will be provided.

“We continue to work closely with our airlines to minimise any disruption to passengers immediately preceding and following the strike days and during the overtime ban.”

The Scottish Government was not immediately available for comment, but on Wednesday it noted it “absolutely respects the democratic right of union members to take industrial action”, adding it was “disappointing” passengers face the prospect of further disruption.

It noted it is encouraging HIAL and Unite to continue to “engage in positive dialogue” to resolve the dispute.

HIAL is meeting its trade unions this week.

FURIOUS: Sharon Graham accused HIAL and the Scottish Government of being unwilling to pay staff what they deserve.