WORKERS at Glasgow Airport are to take industrial action on two days next month as part of a dispute over pensions and pay.

Officials from the Unite trade union today confirmed its members will stage a walkout on Friday, June 7, and Monday, June 10, between the hours of 4am and 4pm.

At the beginning of April, Unite members voted in favour of industrial action over a pay claim for 2019 and proposals by airport bosses to close their final salary pension scheme.

Unite then entered negotiations with airport operators AGS through conciliatory service ACAS, which led to the initial postponement of industrial action based on an improved pay offer of three per cent and a commitment to continue negotiations over the pension scheme proposals until May 31.

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However, Unite today said AGS has closed the talks following "a failure by the company to maintain the pension scheme based on a 2016 ACAS agreement."

Pat McIlvogue, Unite regional industrial officer, added: “Unite entered talks with Glasgow Airport in good faith to try and resolve this dispute. On this basis, we postponed our industrial action in April to allow talks to continue.

"However, while there has been movement on the pay offer for this year, it was sabotaged, with a bonus being potentially reduced.

"There has been no movement on the pension scheme proposals. AGS have closed the talks on pensions despite the initial increased cost being reduced by a quarter-of-a-million pounds from the employers' initial estimate and without exploring the counter proposals tabled by Unite to reduce costs to maintain the scheme.

READ MORE: Glasgow Airport workers back industrial action over pay and pensions dispute

"The pension scheme is both affordable and sustainable.”

Mr McIlvogue insisted Unite members "deserve better" than the deal being offered by airport bosses.

He added: "This is not about saving money, it is about attacking our members’ terms and conditions.

"Industrial action is now set for the summer period and the blame for that lies fully with Glasgow Airport.”

A spokesman for AGS Airports said the company is “extremely disappointed" that Unite has served notice of industrial action.

He added: "We have been in talks since January and, despite attending ACAS, there has been no willingness whatsoever on the part of the unions to engage in a constructive negotiation.

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“We made a significant improvement on our initial pay offer, which was increased from 1.8% to 3% in line with their demands. This was rejected by the trade unions without further consulting their members. In regards to our final salary pension scheme, it is simply unaffordable, with the cost to the company due to rise to 24.7% per employee. We tabled a generous compensation package for the remaining members, which again was rejected by unions without further consulting their members.

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“As always, we remain open to continuing dialogue, however we will now put our robust contingency plans in place to ensure it will be business as usual for our passengers and airlines on both Friday, June 7, and Monday, June 10.”