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Unite warns of possible strike disruption at Southampton Airport
Unite the union is warning that Southampton Airport might be forced to close if firefighters decide to vote for strike action.
It says summer flights from the airport would be disrupted if firefighters go ahead with a walk-out over adverse pension changes proposed by the airport’s owner AGS.
The firefighters, members of Unite, are likely to be joined by firefighters from Prospect in balloting for industrial action.
"Without the firefighters being on duty, the airport, which deals with nearly 1.8 million passengers a year, would have to close down," said Unite.
Unite’s ballot for strike action and industrial action short of a strike will close on Wednesday July 13.
It follows a decision last week that about 480 Unite members at Glasgow and Aberdeen airports were also balloting for strike action, after 98% of workers rejected proposed changes to the pension schemes.
AGS Airports was established in 2014 when Ferrovial, Macquarie Infrastructure and Real Assets (MIRA) joined forces to buy Aberdeen, Glasgow and Southampton airports.
Unite regional officer Phil Silkstone said it has been in negotiations with AGS over a number of months to come to agreement.
"Following a meeting requested by Unite to put forward a proposal to keep the DB scheme, the company’s response left our Southampton members with no other option, but to ballot our members for industrial action.
"Unite’s door is fully open to meet with the company to resolve this issue and avoid disruption to the travelling public."
Bev
Editor in chief Bev Fearis has been a travel journalist for 25 years. She started her career at Travel Weekly, where she became deputy news editor, before joining Business Traveller as deputy editor and launching the magazine’s website. She has also written travel features, news and expert comment for the Guardian, Observer, Times, Telegraph, Boundless and other consumer titles and was named one of the top 50 UK travel journalists by the Press Gazette.
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