WORKERS at the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) have voted in favour of industrial action in a pay dispute for the first time in 40 years.

The Prospect union said that 73 per cent of those who voted did so in favour of taking strike action while 94 per cent voted in favour of taking action short of a strike.

It came after the CAA gave staff a 3-4 per cent pay offer.

Prospect deputy general secretary Rachel Curley said: “Our members don’t want to take industrial action but they have been left with no choice after unacceptable tactics from the employer.

“Over the last few years, the CAA has fallen further behind the industry on pay, making it harder and harder to recruit at the experience level it requires.

“It needs to up its game or it will begin to lose capability.

“There is still time for the employer to avoid industrial action which will be damaging for the industry.

“They need to restart good-faith negotiations with us and come up with a fair and reasonable offer that our members can accept.”

The CAA was approached for comment.