Around 100 tanker drivers and airfield operators employed by North Air across Scottish airports have secured pay deals.
The workers, who provide refuelling services for airlines which fly into and out of Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Inverness, Orkney, Sumburgh and Stornoway airports will all receive a basic minimum wage increase of 4.5%.
They will also receive a 10% increase to their shift allowance, along with a boost to training champion and driver training bonus schemes that could see an up to 150% increase from £400 to £1,000 and from £200 to £500.
Trade union Unite, which represents the workers, has additionally secured an extension of its existing North Air recognition agreements at Aberdeen and Inverness airports to include Kirkwall, Sumburgh and Stornoway. This is to ensure that tanker drivers will now benefit from formal bargaining over pay, terms and conditions.
The Edinburgh deal also involved a 4.5% basic increase backdated to August and included several significant improvements to employees’ overall pay package.
Sharon Graham, general secretary at Unite, said: “Unite has delivered good wage deals for North Air tanker drivers across all Scottish airports. The pay and recognition deals will help to drive up the jobs, pay and conditions not just at North Air but also across the aviation industry.”
Pat McIlvogue, lead industrial officer for civil aviation at Unite, added: “Unite’s negotiated pay and recognition agreements with North Air means that tanker drivers and airfield operators are now receiving a significant boost to their pay packets. We now have a clear route to achieving even better wages and conditions for North Air workers going forward.”
North Air was contacted for comment prior to publication.
