Airport fuel tanker workers call off Christmas strike

A planned strike over the festive season at Scotland's busiest airport has been called off.

North Air fuel tanker drivers based at Edinburgh Airport had planned to walk out for almost three weeks in a dispute over a rejected 4.5% pay offer.

Unite the union had warned of disruption to flights as North Air is the only fuel supply company for airlines flying out of the airport.

The firm tabled a new deal on Friday, which was accepted on Monday.

Unite said the pay offer involves a 4.5% basic increase backdated to August and also includes "several significant improvements to the overall package".

As well as a 10% rise to the shift allowance, there will also be an increase to the Saturday overtime rate - doubling from time and a third to time and two-thirds.

North Air's bonus schemes will also be enhanced from £200 to £500 for driver skills trainers and £400 to £1,000 for training champions.

Unite said this is a 150% increase to bonus levels.

Carrie Binnie, Unite industrial officer, said: "Unite's membership at North Air overwhelmingly backed the improved pay offer.

"We are pleased to have secured a negotiated pay deal which reflects the hard work and skills of our membership at Edinburgh Airport.

"The pay deal means that the scheduled strike over the festive season is off and the dispute is over."

Read more from Sky News:
Wages rising sharply and faster than expected
'I was overpaid £560 - can I keep the money?'

Edinburgh Airport - which served 14.4 million passengers last year - is used by 35 airlines flying to 152 destinations.

North Air employs 57 people at the airport.

A spokesperson for the firm said: "We are pleased to confirm that we have reached an agreement with Unite on pay and that the planned strike at Edinburgh Airport has been called off."

Edinburgh Airport added it was pleased the two parties had made a deal.