Around 450 employees at the airport are preparing to walk out amid unresolved disputes over pay and working conditions.
Scots holidaymakers could be facing a summer of travel chaos as hundreds of airport workers head towards strike action.
Travellers gearing up up for sunny getaways might be faced with disruption on major holiday routes at Glasgow Airport as industrial action poses threats to departure and arrival times. Around 450 employees at the airport are preparing to walk out amid unresolved disputes over pay and working conditions.
Unite the Union, which represents the staff, say the firms involved are Glasgow Airport Ltd, ICTS Central Search, and Swissport. Among those preparing to down their tools within Glasgow Airport Ltd include airport ambassadors, airside support officers, engineers and managers.
A further 250 ICTS central search workers – who provide airport security – remain in a live dispute over understaffing, working conditions and pay.
These employees deal directly with passengers in the security search area and process them for flights.
Unite members are currently being balloted on a pay offer on basic pay, shift allowances and overtime rates.
Meanwhile, over 100 Swissport workers remain in rows with the firm over working rotas and work-life balance, plus health and safety concerns.
Swissport is the country’s largest ground handler.
Its employees provide ground handling services to many major airlines, including ticketing and baggage handling.
It comes as Glasgow Airport Limited made £40.65m in its latest recorded accounts while ICTS (UK) Limited made £4.4m.
An overwhelming 98.7 per cent of Glasgow Airport Limited employees voted in favour of industrial action to secure a better pay offer.
Around 100 workers employed by the company recently rejected a basic four per cent pay rise.
Meanwhile, a consultative ballot on a new offer made by Swissport to address the outstanding issues has been put to the workforce.
The ballot concludes on July 14.
If this offer is rejected, Unite will move to open a full industrial action ballot.
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “Employers at Glasgow Airport will not get away with underpaying or mistreating Unite’s members. Hundreds of workers are involved in disputes at the airport.
“Summer strike action which would ground planes and passengers remains on the cards.
“These highly profitable companies can easily afford to put the minds of the travelling public at rest by making fair offers to workers.”
Elsewhere, a dispute involving 300 ground service workers employed by Menzies Aviation has been resolved.
Unite successfully negotiated a deal which establishes a four per cent minimum increase for new starters, and up to 10 per cent for workers depending on grades.
The Menzies employees include dispatchers, allocators, airside agents and controllers.
A total of 50 Falck firefighters who perform fire safety functions at the airport have also accepted a basic wage increase of 4.5 per cent following successful negotiations, bringing this dispute to an end.
Pat McIlvogue, Unite industrial officer, said: “Strike action has moved a step closer after our Glasgow Airport Limited members emphatically backed industrial action.
“We believe the airport’s new management is attempting to put us on a collision course which would bring out hundreds of workers on strike during the peak summer holiday season.”“Meanwhile, Unite has successfully delivered significant pay deals for our members at Menzies Aviation and Falck.
“These deals build on the recent successes made with other companies at the airport. It clearly demonstrates that pay disputes can be resolved through negotiation and without the need for industrial action if companies are willing to work with Unite.”
A spokesperson for Swissport said: “Our priority is the safety and wellbeing and fair treatment of our workforce, alongside maintaining high standards of service for our customers and we remain committed to working constructively with Unite to find a fair and sustainable resolution.”
A spokesman for Glasgow Airport said: “We are reviewing the ballot results and remain open to finding a sensible resolution.”
The Record also approache ICTS Central Search for comment.