GROUND STAFF at British operator BAA has voted to strike following a dispute over pay.

The news will be a concern  for passengers who are booked to fly through Heathrow, Stansted, Glasgow, and Edinburgh airports.

The Unite trade union, which represents the ground staff at BAA, says that it will meet with key representatives on Monday to discuss what form the action is likely to take.

Despite British Prime Minister David Cameron saying that strike would be damaging to the ecomony the union remains firm on its resolve, saying that staff have already accepted many unfavourable cuts. Staff accepted a pay freeze in 2009, and this year the BAA offered staff a 1% rise, plus 0.5%, which was conditional on changes to a sickness agreement.

Unite says that it also wants workers to receive a performance-related bonus, which it says BAA promised to staff if the company reached a certain financial target.

Similarly, the smaller Prospect union said 53% of its members had voted in favour of strike action. Prospect represents around 100 BAA workers based at Heathrow, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Southampton and Stansted airports.