Pay deal secures increases in pay, allowances and holidays

Unite has successfully negotiated a pay deal for workers at Prestwick airport averting the threat of strike action.  

Unite has secured significant improvements to the pay, terms and conditions of over 400 workers at Prestwick. A ballot on strike action was due to be concluded this week over a previous failure to make an acceptable pay offer to the airport workers.

However, progress was made in wage negotiations leading to a new offer being overwhelmingly backed by the membership. 

The enhanced offer will see the vast majority of members pay rise from 5.1 up to eight per cent alongside an extra day annual leave for this year, and improvements to shift payments and pension contributions.    

The pay deal backdated to 1 April also guarantees the real living wage (RLW) of £13.45 per hour for all permanent staff. Unite represents workers including airport security, firefighters, airfield operators, ground crew, ground handling, cargo, customer services, and cleaners.  

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “Unite has delivered another wage win in the aviation industry this time for our members at Prestwick airport. The deal backed by our members will see significant increases in pay, allowances and better working conditions.”  

The airport is a cargo base and hosts significant numbers of military flights and refuelling stops from North America, along with domestic and international commercial flights.  

Siobhan McCready, Unite industrial officer said: “The Prestwick airport deal brings us much closer to achieving proper recognition for shift work, unsocial hours and the incredible flexibility our members show to keep the business growing.” 

“Unite will continue to build on the progress made at Prestwick airport because there is still more work to be done to get our members the best possible working environment but this deal is a step in the right direction.”

ENDS

Notes to Editor 

For media enquiries please contact Andrew Brady on 07810157922.Email andrew.brady@unitetheunion.org

Unite Scotland is the country’s biggest and most diverse trade union with around 150,000 members.