TGWU

Starting July 30 a succession of 24hr strikes every week will affect airports across the Highlands and Islands from the largest in Inverness, which is expected to deal with several thousand holiday-makers and travellers at its most busiest time, to smaller airports in "Barra, Benbecula, Campbeltown, Islay, Kirkwall, Stornoway, Sumburgh, Tiree and Wick".

The strikes at Llangefni are part of a long-running dispute over pay, pensions and casualisation, previously reported by libcom in October, March and April

A second strike in the dispute at the Tesco distribution depot at Livingston near Edinburgh over changes to job contracts and union representation has been suspended after management offered to open talks with the T&G section of Unite - the union.

The Transport and General Workers' Union (T&G) say 150 drivers are to join the 24-hour strike next Tuesday. Tesco have strongly denied claims that drivers based in Livingston had been threatened with job losses if they did not sign a new contract. A Tesco spokesman has accused the union of "following their own agenda".

The 40 female employees at Sunvic Controls in Uddingston walked out after 14 months of talks on pay and new employment conditions collapsed. Union officials said the company wanted to implement periodic lay-offs and short-time working when demand was low. The T&G Scotland section of Unite welcomed the resolution brokered with the help of conciliation service Acas.

Tony Trench, T&G section of Unite regional industrial organiser, said in spite of the 'Fort Wapping' style security clampdown it was clear all was not well.

The strike will be about half the number of workers who originally voted to strike and a week late, as reported by libcom two weeks ago, this is due to the T&G entering negotiations at several sites across the UK.

Around 2,000 workers will be involved in the strike at plants across the UK including Perthshire, Edinburgh, Cambridgeshire, Suffolk, Essex, Somerset and Wales. 24-hour strikes were also held at sites in Sandycroft, Flintshire (site of the recent airbus wildcats), and Llangefni in October over the same issue.

Almost 250 bus drivers are ready to strike from 4.30am on Monday after a ballot showed 81% were in favour of taking strike action.

Norwich Evening News reported: Members of the Transport and General Workers Union said they had resorted to the action because of a row over their pay increase for last year.

Airlines Flybe and Aurigny were affected by the disruption as flights were grounded for an hour.

Thisisguernsey.com reported on the anger of airport bosses that the surprise action provoked, although for the workers the action rapidly achieved its goals.

Their article stated: AIRPORT security staff who went on strike yesterday have been accused of holding passengers to ransom.