Airport staff to be balloted on industrial action

Unite is to ballot its members at Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd (Hial) on industrial action after rejecting a 5% pay offer.

The union said the pay deal was "insulting" at a time when many staff living in rural areas were facing higher food, fuel and energy costs.

Hial runs regional airports in the Highlands, Western Isles, Orkney, Shetland as well as Dundee's airport.

It said it would seek to continue dialogue with Unite and other unions.

State-owned Hial said its pay offer was affordable from within its existing finances and maximised the parameters of the Scottish government pay policy.

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Last month, state-owned Hial said its pay offer had been rejected by members of three unions.

The company said it had made an enhanced offer, but this had been turned down by the PCS, Prospect and Unite.

On the table was a 5% basic pay award to all staff earning less than £80,000 and a 4% basic pay award to all staff earning more that £80,000.

In addition it proposed a 5% increase to fixed allowances not automatically updated by the 5% increase in basic pay.