Holidaymakers flying out of one of Scotland’s busiest airports could face travel chaos, a union has warned, as security staff up the stakes in their pay battle.
Around 250 workers who are employed by ICTS at Glasgow Airport have rejected what Unite described as a “derisory” 5% pay offer.
Unite regional industrial officer Pat McIlvogue said the offer “represents a massive pay cut in real-terms” and added: “Unless the company improves upon its current offer, then Glasgow Airport faces a summer of travel chaos because it simply can’t operate safely and efficiently without these essential workers.
“We are encouraging ICTS to heed the warning before this dispute escalates potentially to strike action.”
Some 94% of its members rejected the 5% rise, Unite said.
The union said it will have no option but to move towards an industrial ballot of its members if employers do not improve the offer.
The airport staff involved are central search workers who deal with passengers directly in the security search area and process them for flights.
The workers also cover mobile patrols, control access posts, screen all deliveries and deal with emergency services at the airport, which sees more than 9.9 million passengers go through its doors every year.
An ICTS spokesman said: “Constructive pay talks with our staff at Glasgow Airport are ongoing - generous pay proposals have been tabled that would give staff increases of between 14% to 26.2% over the past two years.
“We would like to reassure the travelling public that their security is our priority and there will be no disruptions.”
Meanwhile, a strike by workers at the Passport Office is to be escalated next month.
The Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS) said its members in all Passport Offices will walk out for four days at the beginning of May.
Union members have been taking industrial action since the start of the month, but it has been limited to some staff in some offices.
Almost 2,000 PCS members working as passport examiners in Belfast, Durham, Glasgow, Liverpool, London, Newport, Peterborough and Southport have been on strike since 3 April in the union’s long-running dispute over pay, pensions, redundancy terms and jobs.
They will be joined from 2 to 6 May by 1,000 workers in non-examination roles such as admin, anti-fraud, policy and commercial in the same offices, as well as interview officers in Birmingham, Corby, Hemel Hempstead, Leeds, Portsmouth, Sheffield and Plymouth from 3 to 6 May.
PCS general secretary Mark Serwotka said: “At every stage of this dispute we have warned we will escalate action if our demands are not met.”
He said the government had “insulted” civil servants last week by announcing they will receive a pay rise this year of between 4.5% and 5%.
Serwotka added: “Our members are not prepared to be treated this way, which is why we are escalating our action.
“Ministers can stop these strikes and ease the passport backlog tomorrow by making a reasonable offer to our members.”
More than 130,000 PCS members will stage a nationwide strike on 28 April.
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