Polar Star - March - May 2024
Tuesday 19 March 2024
 7.3°C   SSE Strong Breeze
Ocean Kinetics - The Engineering Experts

News / More talks needed to resolve air traffic control dispute

Sumburgh Airport. Photo: HIAL

FURTHER talks are planned in the next fortnight after Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd (HIAL) held a “constructive” meeting this week with trade union Prospect over potential industrial action from air traffic controllers.

Members of the union voted “near unanimously” for action recently over pay after previously rejecting a two per cent offer earlier this year.

A meeting was held between the government-owned HIAL – which operates Sumburgh Airport and 10 other airports in Scotland – and Prospect on Thursday.

In a joint statement released after the talks, the organisations said:

“Constructive meetings have taken place over the last two days. We have agreed to meet again over the next two weeks to seek to resolve the dispute.”

A spokesman for government-owned HIAL previously explained that Prospect air traffic control members were balloted separately to other staff, who had accepted a pay offer.

Prospect has reiterated that the possible action is not related to HIAL’s plans to centralise air traffic services in Inverness.

Despite this, Shetland MSP Tavish Scott used the latest developments to call on the Scottish Government to intervene in HIAL’s “closure of local air traffic control towers in favour of an unproven centralised remote tower”.

Become a supporter of Shetland News

Shetland News is asking its many readers to consider start paying for their dose of the latest local news delivered straight to their PC, tablet or mobile phone.

Journalism comes at a price and because that price is not being paid in today’s rapidly changing media world, most publishers - national and local - struggle financially despite very healthy audience figures.

Most online publishers have started charging for access to their websites, others have chosen a different route. Shetland News currently has  over 600 supporters  who are all making small voluntary financial contributions. All funds go towards covering our cost and improving the service further.

Your contribution will ensure Shetland News can: -

  • Bring you the headlines as they happen;
  • Stay editorially independent;
  • Give a voice to the community;
  • Grow site traffic further;
  • Research and publish more in-depth news, including more Shetland Lives features.

If you appreciate what we do and feel strongly about impartial local journalism, then please become a supporter of Shetland News by either making a single payment or monthly subscription.

Support us from as little as £3 per month – it only takes a minute to sign up. Thank you.

 

Newsletters

Subscribe to a selection of different newsletters from Shetland News, varying from breaking news delivered on the minute, to a weekly round-up of the opinion posts. All delivered straight to your inbox.

Daily Briefing Newsletter Weekly Highlights Newsletter Opinion Newsletter Life in Shetland Newsletter

JavaScript Required

We're sorry, but Shetland News isn't fully functional without JavaScript enabled.
Head over to the help page for instructions on how to enable JavaScript on your browser.

Your Privacy

We use cookies on our site to improve your experience.
By using our service, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Cookie Policy.

Browser is out-of-date

Shetland News isn't fully functional with this version of .
Head over to the help page for instructions on updating your browser for more security, improved speed and the best overall experience on this site.

Interested in Notifications?

Get notifications from Shetland News for important and breaking news.
You can unsubscribe at any time.

Become a supporter of Shetland News

We're committed to ensuring everyone has equitable access to impartial, open and quality local journalism that benefits all residents.

By supporting Shetland News, you play a vital role in ensuring we remain a pivotal resource in supporting the community.

Support us from as little as £3 per month – it only takes a minute to sign up. Thank you.