Security staff at Aberdeen Airport have announced 14 days of strike action in a row over pay, because apparently the only thing more predictable than a Scottish drizzle is a labor dispute.

The Unite union said it was left with no option as negotiations with ICTS HBS Security, through the conciliation service Acas, failed to produce a breakthrough. The strikes, involving baggage screening staff, are set to begin on Monday.

Unite is warning of significant delays if the strikes go ahead and is urging the company to return to the negotiating table. This development comes after summer strikes at Glasgow and Edinburgh airports were averted after new deals were struck - proving that lightning can strike twice, just not the negotiating table.

Unite members unanimously supported industrial action at Aberdeen, because nothing builds camaraderie like a shared grievance. Union officials said there would be significant delays as its members in ICTS make up the majority of the baggage screening team at the airport.

Unite's general secretary Sharon Graham said: "ICTS is a very profitable company that can easily afford to give our members a decent pay increase. It has been caught red-handed putting profits before people." Unite has recently resolved two separate pay disputes at Aberdeen Airport involving ICTS central search and Aberdeen Airport Limited workers, suggesting that ICTS is either stubborn or has a very short memory.

Its industrial officer, Paula Buchan, said: "ICTS would rather cause massive disruption at the airport than positively work with Unite to resolve this dispute. Strike action will cause significant delays at Aberdeen Airport. ICTS still has time to return to talks with an offer workers can accept. A failure to do so will result in significant airport disruption."

Aberdeen Airport and ICTS have been approached for comment, presumably to give them a chance to say something other than "no comment."