COP26: Glasgow cleansing workers strike will go ahead

What’s happening? COP26 strike action in Glasgow is set to go ahead as the union accuses the council of bad faith on pay consultation.

GMB has this afternoon (Sunday 31 October) told Glasgow City Council Chief Executive Annemarie O’Donnell that members in the city’s cleansing service will proceed with previously planned strike action from 00.01 hours Monday 1 November.

GMB Scotland Secretary Louise Gilmour said: “The council has failed to give our members the proper time and space to consider the 11th hour offer from COSLA, and the fact the council moved to block strike action in the Court of Session using anti-trade union legislation, means there is too much bad faith among members towards the employer.

“Therefore, our members in cleansing have informed us that they will still proceed with the planned strike action from 00.01 hours Monday 1 November. We are calling for an urgent meeting with the council as soon as possible and we will work until one-minute to midnight tonight to try and fix this.

“We have also made the Scottish Government aware of the situation and are liaising with the First Minister’s Office, but without any further dialogue the cleansing service in Glasgow City Council will take strike action from tomorrow and throughout the first full week of the COP26 summit.”

What happened last week? GMB announced that strike action will not go ahead during COP26, after a new pay deal was offered.

COSLA made a new offer to the Scottish Local Government trade unions proposing a one-year 5.89 per cent increase for the lowest paid council staff, as part of a £1062 rise for all staff earning below £25,000.