Shetland MSP Beatrice Wishart (pictured) had today voiced her despair at Scottish Ministers for allowing the long-anticipated Prospect strike to go ahead at Sumburgh, Benbecula, Dundee, Inverness, Kirkwall and Stornoway today.
Highlands and Islands Airports Limited (HIAL) staff took industrial action over plans to move air traffic control (ATC) to Inverness.
Plans would see ATC centralised and jobs moved away from local economies.
An independent report carried out for the Prospect Union estimated £18million would be taken away from island communities if implemented.
Last week Ms Wishart asked Scottish Ministers to think again on ATC plans.
That followed a response Ms Wishart received to a Parliamentary Question revealing that the Scottish Government have not discussed the Island Communities Impact Assessment on HIAL’s Air Traffic Management 2030 Strategy (ATMS).
Beatrice Wishart MSP said:
“It is extremely disappointing that Scottish Ministers have ignored the strong feeling of HIAL staff.
“This could all have been avoided if the Scottish Government hadn’t been so inflexible.
“Ministers haven’t been serious enough to discuss the plan’s impact on island communities.
“Ministers must stop the current plans now and think again.”
