Glasgow Airport Workers Face Strike Ballot Over Pay | Glasgow 2026

Key Points

• More than 90 passenger assistance workers at Glasgow Airport are being balloted for industrial action over pay.
• The workers are employed by ABM and include customer service agents, Ambilift drivers and allocators.
• Unite opened the ballot on 5 August and it will close on 20 August.
• The union says ABM has offered a pay rise that would leave some workers just 15 pence per hour above the Scottish Living Wage of £13.45.
• Unite says that offer is unacceptable and wants pay rates significantly above the real living wage across all employers at Glasgow Airport.
• Unite says ABM Aviation reported profits of almost £7 million after tax in 2025, up from £5.95 million the year before.
• If members vote for strike action, passenger assistance services could be disrupted for travellers who need extra support.
• The ballot comes after two other pay disputes at Glasgow Airport were resolved in June, when nearly 400 workers at ICTS and Menzies Aviation accepted improved offers.

Glasgow (Glasgow Express) August 5, 2026 – Glasgow Airport could face disruption later this summer as passenger assistance workers employed by ABM vote on industrial action in a pay dispute. The ballot, which Unite says began on 5 August and runs until 20 August, covers more than 90 staff whose work supports passengers with restricted mobility through the terminal.

What is the dispute at Glasgow Airport?

As reported by Unite general secretary Sharon Graham, the union will not accept what it describes as low pay offers for its members at the airport. The dispute centres on ABM’s pay proposal for customer service agents, Ambilift drivers and allocators, who help passengers requiring additional support during their journey.

Unite says the company’s offer would leave some staff earning only 15 pence per hour above the Scottish Living Wage. The union argues that this is too close to the minimum benchmark and says it wants all employers at Glasgow Airport to pay significantly beyond the real living wage.

Why are workers being balloted now?

According to Carrie Donoghue, Unite industrial officer, the ballot was triggered because the company’s offer does not meet the standard the union wants at the airport. She said ABM has made an offer that “scrapes past” the real living wage threshold, which Unite considers unacceptable.

The dispute is taking place during a busy summer period, so any strike action could have a direct impact on passengers who rely on assisted travel services. That includes people with restricted mobility who may need help moving through check-in, security and boarding processes.

How could passengers be affected?

If the ballot is backed and action follows, the most immediate impact would be on passenger assistance services. That could mean delays or reduced availability of support for passengers who need help with mobility, baggage or transfers around the terminal.

The airport itself has not been said to be facing a full shutdown in this dispute, but the affected services are important to the smooth running of the passenger journey. For travellers who depend on assistance, any stoppage could create stress, longer waits and the need to make alternative arrangements in advance.

What have the union leaders said?

Sharon Graham said Unite would support members in their fight for better pay, jobs and conditions. She argued that ABM is a profitable company and that staff deserve a better settlement.

Carrie Donoghue said Unite is determined to ensure that employers at Glasgow Airport pay well above the real living wage as a minimum. She said the company’s current offer falls short of what workers should accept.

What has ABM earned recently?

Unite says ABM Aviation reported profits of almost £7 million after tax in 2025, compared with £5.95 million in the previous year. The union has used that figure to argue that the company can afford a stronger offer for staff.

That financial context has become part of the dispute because Unite is linking the profit figure to its claim that pay should reflect the company’s trading position. The union’s position is that workers should not be asked to accept what it sees as a marginal increase from a company making substantial profits.

Have there been other pay disputes at Glasgow Airport?

Yes. The latest dispute follows a recent set of settlements at Glasgow Airport in June, when nearly 400 workers at ICTS and Menzies Aviation accepted improved pay offers. Those agreements removed the threat of summer strike action involving those workforces.

That background matters because it shows the airport has already faced several pay-related flashpoints this year. While those earlier disputes were resolved, the new ABM ballot suggests that industrial tensions have not fully eased.

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Background of the development

Glasgow Airport has seen repeated pay disputes among different workforces over the past year, with Unite involved in several separate negotiations. In previous cases, the union secured improved offers for airport staff, including workers at ABM, ICTS and Menzies Aviation, after threats of industrial action.

The current ballot fits into that wider pattern of local disputes over wages and the real living wage. For airports, these conflicts often become more prominent during peak travel periods because even a limited walkout can affect passengers quickly and visibly.

What is the prediction for passengers?

If workers vote for strike action, passengers who need assistance are the most likely audience to feel the effect first. Travellers with reduced mobility, older passengers and anyone needing extra terminal support could face longer waits or limited service if industrial action goes ahead.

If a deal is reached before the ballot closes on 20 August, disruption may be avoided. If not, the airport could face pressure to manage a dispute while maintaining services during one of the busiest periods of the summer travel season.