Security staff at Aberdeen Airport are set to walk out for 14 days from Monday, threatening “significant delays” as a bitter pay dispute with ICTS HBS Security escalates. The Unite union announced the strike action after talks through the conciliation service Acas failed to produce a breakthrough, leaving the union “with no option”, it said.
The strikes involve baggage screening staff, who Unite says make up the majority of the baggage screening team at the airport. Union officials warned that passengers should brace for major disruption. “ICTS would rather cause massive disruption at the airport than positively work with Unite to resolve this dispute,” said Paula Buchan, Unite’s industrial officer. “Strike action will cause significant delays at Aberdeen Airport. ICTS still has time to return to talks with an offer workers can accept. A failure to do so will result in significant airport disruption.”
“Aberdeen Airport security staff begin 14-day strike on Monday, with Unite warning of significant delays.”
The development comes after summer strikes at Glasgow and Edinburgh airports were averted when new deals were struck. Earlier this year, Unite resolved two separate pay disputes at Aberdeen Airport involving ICTS central search and Aberdeen Airport Limited workers. But this time, Unite members unanimously supported industrial action, reflecting deep anger over pay.
Sharon Graham, Unite’s general secretary, accused the company of putting profits before people. “ICTS is a very profitable company that can easily afford to give our members a decent pay increase. It has been caught red-handed putting profits before people,” she said.
Aberdeen Airport sought to reassure passengers, saying “robust contingency measures” would be in place. “We have engaged with ICTS, and robust contingency measures will be in place, with no impact expected, but we strongly urge everyone involved to continue working towards a constructive resolution,” a spokesperson said.
ICTS said the proposed action involved a “small number” of its staff and insisted it was still in active pay discussions with the union. “We are still in active pay discussions with their trade union in respect of the pay offer we have made to those colleagues and hope that such action will not take place. However, we would wish to reassure the public that robust contingency plans are in place to ensure passenger safety and service continuity. We are confident that hold baggage operations will remain unaffected for the duration of any proposed industrial action,” the company said.
With the strike set to begin on Monday, the coming days will determine whether Aberdeen Airport can truly avoid disruption — or whether passengers face the chaos Unite has warned of.