Marvin OnumonuUnite has launched a safety campaign called ‘Abuse Doesn’t Fly’ after research found that airport workers in Scotland regularly faced abuse, aggression and assault.
The union surveyed more than 300 staff at Aberdeen, Edinburgh and Glasgow airports, with over 90% saying they had experienced verbal abuse in the last year and over 75% reporting intimidation or aggression.
In addition, 29% said they had faced physical assault.
Around a third said they had considered leaving the industry, while 77% said regular abuse had affected their mental health and increased stress and anxiety at work.
Workers included ground handlers, passenger service assistants, security and customer service agents.
Sharon Graham, general secretary at unite, said: “The results of Unite’s safety survey across Scotland’s major airports is shocking.
“Airport workers regularly and repeatedly face staggering and unacceptable levels of abuse, aggression and assaults.
“Unite will not stand by and allow our members to be treated in this way which is why we are demanding safety measures to be immediately adopted in airports.”
The campaign is calling for an increased police presence at peak times like Easter and summer, zero tolerance signage, panic alarms, a traffic light system to ban repeat or serious offenders, better recording of abuse incidents, access to counselling and airport safety charters across the UK.
Carrie Donoghue, industrial officer at unite, said: “It is clear from Unite’s survey that employers and policing authorities need to be doing far more to support airport workers by enacting safety measures such as an increased police presence at peak times including Easter.
“We are also asking the travelling public to think about and change their behaviour because this wave of abuse can’t go on.
“It is having a seriously detrimental impact on airport workers leading to psychological and physical trauma with many workers having to take time off due to illness or considering leaving the industry.”
