Air traffic controllers to stage one-day strike in centralisation protest

The air traffic control tower at Sumburgh Airport. Photo: Ronnie Robertson

Air traffic controllers at Sumburgh will stage a one-day walkout later this month in protest to Highlands and Islands Airports Limited (Hial) plans to centralise the service to Inverness.

Workers will strike on Thursday, 29th July.

The strike marks an escalation in the industrial action which has been ongoing since January.

Prospect members in Hial voted to continue industrial action, including the option for a strike, in June having initially voted for the action at the end of last year.

They are taking the action because of plans to close air traffic towers in the Highlands and Islands, centralising services in Inverness.

Prospect negotiator David Avery said their members had been “forced” into this strike.

“Hial’s plan will remove high value skilled jobs from economies that can ill-afford to lose them, having a substantial negative impact on those communities.

“Prospect members are not averse to change but it has to be done in a way that maintains jobs and skills in remote communities.

“Hial needs to halt these plans now so our members can get on with their jobs.”