Dundee Airport workers threaten to strike

Workers at Dundee airport have voted unanimously to take industrial action in a dispute over pay.

The 31 members of the Prospect union include firefighters, air traffic controllers and plane refuelling staff.

Dundee airport handles scheduled flights to London, Birmingham and Belfast.

Airport operator HIAL said it had been working for months to avoid the "ill-timed" action, which would inconvenience passengers.

The ballot was held over a 2011 pay offer and "harmonising" pay with colleagues at other Scottish airports.

'Undermine' confidence

Thirty out of the 31 ballot papers were returned - all voting for full industrial action or action short of a strike.

Prospect national secretary Alan Denney said: "The company has been informed of the ballot result and Prospect will be consulting with members on Wednesday to determine what kind of industrial action members will take and when."

Inglis Lyon, managing director of HIAL, said it would be "impossible" to meet the union's expectations as it would cost the company about £700,000 a year to harmonise staff pay with workers at other airports.

"This decision will inconvenience passengers and undermine airline confidence in Dundee," he said.

"As a taxpayer-funded organisation, and at a time of decreasing airport revenues and increasing operational costs, this is not a cost that Dundee Airport or HIAL can afford to bear, nor is it one the public should expect to bear."