Airport security staff dispute set for resolution

SCOTTISH airport group HIAL has made an offer to security staff at Sumburgh and other airports in an effort to end the dispute which led to a 48-hour walkout earlier this month.

The Prospect trade union said on Wednesday that it was pleased to announce it would be recommending HIAL’s offer to its members.

“We believe this offer provides a realistic opportunity to settle our long-running dispute with HIAL over the unequal treatment of our members working in security company AMSL,” Prospect’s national secretary Alan Denney said.

“If agreed, there will be an alignment of terms and conditions over the next 20 months.”

The union will begin balloting members at the end of this week, with the ballot closing on 5 May. During that time, security staff’s current “work to rule” action will be suspended.

Denney said progress had been made since Prospect’s AMSL employees held a two-day strike following the Easter weekend break. 

The dispute centred on Prospect’s view that, since bringing security in-house six years ago, HIAL had failed to agree equal pay, holidays and sick pay for security workers.

HIAL said that following a meeting on Wednesday, the two sides had reached agreement “in principle” to resolve the dispute.

Its managing director Inglis Lyon said: “A revised offer was made to Prospect today which we understand will be the subject of a consultative ballot.

“Both parties have compromised and in so doing have secured some long term stability for the business. We are pleased at the progress we have made and believe that the agreement reached today delivers a balanced package of improvements to pay and conditions for security staff.”