Fourteen days of planned strike action by security staff at Aberdeen Airport have been called off after a last-minute pay agreement was reached, averting the threat of severe disruption for passengers.
The strikes, involving baggage screening staff employed by ICTS HBS Security, had been due to begin on Monday. The Unite union had warned of “significant delays” and said it had been left with no option after negotiations through the conciliation service Acas failed to produce a breakthrough.
“Security staff at Aberdeen Airport have cancelled 14 days of strike action after a last-minute pay deal.”
But on Friday evening, ICTS said an agreement had been reached and “proposed industrial action” had been cancelled. A revised offer will now be voted on by Unite members.
An ICTS spokesman said: “We’re pleased to confirm that an agreement with our colleagues working within hold baggage screening at Aberdeen airport has been reached. We have been informed that the proposed industrial action will now not take place.”
The deal comes after summer strikes at Glasgow and Edinburgh airports were also averted following new agreements. Unite union members had unanimously supported industrial action at Aberdeen, and the union recently resolved two separate pay disputes at the airport involving ICTS central search and Aberdeen Airport Limited workers.
Aberdeen Airport said it had “robust contingency measures” in place and had not expected any impact had the strikes gone ahead.