Scots holidaymakers are being warned of possible "travel chaos" this summer as Edinburgh airport staff have backed plans to strike.
Unions confirmed on Thursday that 275 workers at Scotland's largest airport voted in favour of industrial action after rejecting an "inferior" pay offer from airport bosses. The ballot received 85 percent support with a 75 percent turnout.
Unite has warned of "travel chaos" this summer unless airport bosses put forward an improved offer. While no strike dates have been confirmed, it is likely that summer flights from the hub will be impacted during the busy travel season.
The union is calling for a "realistic" solution, after members previously rejected a lesser offer to one made at Gatwick airport. Unite's Gatwick workforce has accepted a 12 percent pay rise with a one off £1,500 cash payment.
But Edinburgh workers have said no to an 11 percent rise offer with a one off £1,000 cost of living payment - which Unite general secretary Sharon Graham called "nowhere near good enough".
She added: "A realistic pay offer needs to be put on the table which values our members in the same way as our members at Gatwick Airport. Unite will always support our members in the fight for better jobs, pay and conditions."
According to Unite, Edinburgh staff work in areas affecting airport security, terminal operations, search areas, flight processing, as well as supply deliveries and airside services.
Union bosses believe that airport management won't head their demands, instead allowing the situation to get worse before it gets better.
Carrie Binnie, Unite industrial officer, said: "Unite wants to resolve this dispute at Edinburgh Airport through negotiation. However, we fear that airport management will instead choose to escalate this situation rather than reflect and see sense after the ballot result.
"Unite’s members deserve a pay offer which matches that of other airport workers including those where the owners GIP have a big stake like at Gatwick. It’s up to airport bosses now but they are under no illusions as to the strength of feeling among our membership."
Meanwhile, Edinburgh airport says the decision by Unite is "disappointing" after it "met the ask of our unions". A spokesperson for the travel hub said Unite's comparisons to Gatwick doesn't account for incremental pay increases previously made to Edinburgh staff.
They said: "Unite is insistent on comparing this offer to the one made at Gatwick, but the important context missing from that comparison pushed by Unite is that this 11 percent increase at Edinburgh Airport would be the third pay rise given to the team since 2020, representing an overall increase of 19.6 per cent.
"In contrast, this is the first offer made by Gatwick in the same timeframe – a point Unite purposefully fails to note. We have proposed a deal that is well above what has been offered to many other workers in Scotland and is well above inflation.
"We still have serious concerns about the integrity of the original ballot and the number of members that voted – concerns Unite have failed to address. We have made every attempt to avert industrial action and to agree a well-deserved pay rise for all of our hardworking employees, not just the minority who are Unite members.
"We remain open to negotiating in good faith with our unions and have agreed to participate in future talks.”
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