Strike threat at Belfast airport

Belfast International Airport faces strike action

Security staff at Belfast International Airport have voted to take industrial action over pay and conditions.

A series of stoppages is due to begin early on Wednesday and last for a week.

The workers said they had no option but to take action.

Management at the airport said a number of contingency plans meant the public should not be disrupted.

Robin Long: "Plans put in place"

Shop steward Gordon McNeill said the pay rate for security staff at the airport "was unacceptable".

"We will do everything we possibly can to facilitate them (passengers) and to get them through," he said.

"But at the same time, at what stage do you say enough is enough?"

He added: "At some point, the public are going to have to see that we have an issue, we have to take a stand on it and we cannot allow it to continue. It is just borne out of sheer frustration."

Gordon McNeill: "Pay rate for security staff unacceptable"

Director of Security Robin Long said plans had been put in place in order to ensure passengers got through.

"We do not want to see any dilution of our security standards," he said.

"We must meet the standards imposed on us by the regulators and we plant to be able to do that."