Edinburgh Airport Workers to Take Strike Action Over Poverty Pay

Strategic Insights -

More than 100 workers at Edinburgh Airport, part of OCS Group, will go on strike next month after unanimous ballot support. The workers, who assist passengers with reduced mobility issues, are taking action over a wage offer of £12.60 an hour, matching the Scottish Living Wage minimum rate, which they have overwhelmingly rejected. The dispute centers on OCS management's failure to provide a fair pay increase, with workers seeking better jobs, pay, and conditions. Unite, the workers' union, will back their members in the strike action, which will start on September 3 and continue throughout the month.

Key Takeaways:

  • Over 100 workers at Edinburgh Airport, part of OCS Group, will go on strike over poverty pay.
  • The workers, who assist passengers with reduced mobility issues, have unanimously backed strike action with a turnout of over 90 per cent.
  • The dispute centers on OCS management's wage offer of £12.60 an hour, matching the Scottish Living Wage minimum rate, which the workers have overwhelmingly rejected.
  • Strike action will take place on multiple days in September, including September 3, 4, 7, 8, 11, 12, 14, 15, 18, 19, 21, 22, 25, and 26.
  • Unite, the workers' union, will back their members in the strike action.
  • OCS management has been accused of making an "insulting poverty pay offer" by Unite officer Carrie Binnie.

Statistics:

  • Over 90 per cent of workers took part in the ballot, with all voting in favor of strike action.
  • Strike action will take place on 14 days in September.
  • The minimum wage offer of £12.60 an hour is the lowest possible wage offer from OCS management.

*workers are seeking better jobs, pay, and conditions from OCS management.

  • The strike action is expected to start on September 3.

Sources:

  • "Edinburgh Airport strike action: OCS workers set for 48-hour stoppages" - Scotsman, September [date not provided]
  • "Edinburgh Airport strike action: OCS workers reject 'insulting poverty pay offer'" - Scotsman, September [date not provided]
  • "Unite" - union website, [date not provided]
  • "Scottish Living Wage minimum rate" - Scottish Living Wage website, [date not provided]