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| Glasgow strike: council leader attacks unions over equal pay walkout | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The leader of Glasgow city council has accused union leaders of mounting an unnecessary strike over equal pay which has closed the city’s primary schools, nurseries and other services. | The leader of Glasgow city council has accused union leaders of mounting an unnecessary strike over equal pay which has closed the city’s primary schools, nurseries and other services. |
| Susan Aitken said the two-day strike by more than 8,000 mostly female employees would “have a devastating impact and there is no need for it”. | Susan Aitken said the two-day strike by more than 8,000 mostly female employees would “have a devastating impact and there is no need for it”. |
| The strike began at 7am on Tuesday after years of legal disputes between unions and Glasgow council over the underpayment of staff in female-dominated roles such as cleaning, with employees earning up to £3 an hour less than those in male-dominated ones such as bin collections. The walkout is thought to be the largest ever in the UK over pay inequality. | The strike began at 7am on Tuesday after years of legal disputes between unions and Glasgow council over the underpayment of staff in female-dominated roles such as cleaning, with employees earning up to £3 an hour less than those in male-dominated ones such as bin collections. The walkout is thought to be the largest ever in the UK over pay inequality. |
| Thousands of women are pursuing equal pay claims against the council after the court of session, Scotland’s civil court, ruled in their favour last year. The GMB and Unison picket lines were set up outside the city chambers on George Square and other sites, including refuse depots. | Thousands of women are pursuing equal pay claims against the council after the court of session, Scotland’s civil court, ruled in their favour last year. The GMB and Unison picket lines were set up outside the city chambers on George Square and other sites, including refuse depots. |
| Police Scotland said it was called to two picket lines to offer “advice and guidance” to protesters after, in at least one incident at a depot in Shieldhall, city council staff complained that entrances were being blocked. Police also went to a primary school on Baltic Street. | Police Scotland said it was called to two picket lines to offer “advice and guidance” to protesters after, in at least one incident at a depot in Shieldhall, city council staff complained that entrances were being blocked. Police also went to a primary school on Baltic Street. |
| A police spokeswoman said: “Officers have attended a number of protests across Glasgow today. Advice and guidance has been given and there has been no issues and no arrests.” | A police spokeswoman said: “Officers have attended a number of protests across Glasgow today. Advice and guidance has been given and there has been no issues and no arrests.” |
| Rhea Wolfson, a GMB Scotland union organiser, said the previous Labour administration in the city was to blame for the original pay inequality at the centre of the dispute. | Rhea Wolfson, a GMB Scotland union organiser, said the previous Labour administration in the city was to blame for the original pay inequality at the centre of the dispute. |
| But city officials were now obstructing a manifesto promise by the Scottish National party-run council to settle 12,000 outstanding pay claims. There had been 21 meetings this year, with no meaningful progress, Wolfson said. | But city officials were now obstructing a manifesto promise by the Scottish National party-run council to settle 12,000 outstanding pay claims. There had been 21 meetings this year, with no meaningful progress, Wolfson said. |
| “It’s not just a show of frustration. It’s specifically triggered by the lack of progress over the last 11 months of meaningful negotiations,” she said. The strike, Wolfson said, was to pressurise Aitken into ending the impasse. | “It’s not just a show of frustration. It’s specifically triggered by the lack of progress over the last 11 months of meaningful negotiations,” she said. The strike, Wolfson said, was to pressurise Aitken into ending the impasse. |
| “Equal pay is not a gift to be given, it is a right for our members to demand. At the moment, 8,000 of our members have gone on strike today because they have lost faith that that demand is going to be met.” | “Equal pay is not a gift to be given, it is a right for our members to demand. At the moment, 8,000 of our members have gone on strike today because they have lost faith that that demand is going to be met.” |
| Aitken told BBC Radio Scotland progress was being made in the talks and that the council had brought many jobs at the centre of the dispute, previously with the arm’s-length body Cordia, back under full council control and had now harmonised pay. | Aitken told BBC Radio Scotland progress was being made in the talks and that the council had brought many jobs at the centre of the dispute, previously with the arm’s-length body Cordia, back under full council control and had now harmonised pay. |
| “We’re working towards an agreed settlement by the end of this year [and] not any sort of low-ball offer,” she said. | “We’re working towards an agreed settlement by the end of this year [and] not any sort of low-ball offer,” she said. |
| Nicola Sturgeon, the first minister, weighed in on the row on Twitter after taking issue with tweets of solidarity to the strikers from Jeremy Corbyn, the UK Labour leader, and Richard Leonard, the party’s Scottish leader. | Nicola Sturgeon, the first minister, weighed in on the row on Twitter after taking issue with tweets of solidarity to the strikers from Jeremy Corbyn, the UK Labour leader, and Richard Leonard, the party’s Scottish leader. |
| Sturgeon said that while she admired the women on strike, she believed Labour were to blame for taking the dispute to court in the first place to prevent the women from claiming equal pay. | Sturgeon said that while she admired the women on strike, she believed Labour were to blame for taking the dispute to court in the first place to prevent the women from claiming equal pay. |
| Corbyn had earlier tweeted his support for the strike and retweeted endorsements from Leonard. | Corbyn had earlier tweeted his support for the strike and retweeted endorsements from Leonard. |
| I send my solidarity to women council workers in Glasgow who go on strike today to demand equal pay.They are the carers, cleaners and caterers who are society's unsung heroes.When they go on strike, it's our duty to support them. #GlasgowWomensStrike | I send my solidarity to women council workers in Glasgow who go on strike today to demand equal pay.They are the carers, cleaners and caterers who are society's unsung heroes.When they go on strike, it's our duty to support them. #GlasgowWomensStrike |
| The industrial action was also backed by Frances O’Grady, the TUC general secretary, and Scottish TUC leaders. | The industrial action was also backed by Frances O’Grady, the TUC general secretary, and Scottish TUC leaders. |
| The campaign group Action 4 Equality estimates settling the outstanding claims could cost between £500m and £1bn. Those figures are disputed by the council, but Aitken has admitted it could cause it financial problems and that the council has a financial strategy to settle those claims. | The campaign group Action 4 Equality estimates settling the outstanding claims could cost between £500m and £1bn. Those figures are disputed by the council, but Aitken has admitted it could cause it financial problems and that the council has a financial strategy to settle those claims. |
| “I believe [the unions] are misrepresenting the scale of progress which has been going on,” she added. “There’s negotiations taking place right now. [It is] extremely complex. There’s a huge amount of data but as I said, we have 30 people working full time on this in order to make progress. | “I believe [the unions] are misrepresenting the scale of progress which has been going on,” she added. “There’s negotiations taking place right now. [It is] extremely complex. There’s a huge amount of data but as I said, we have 30 people working full time on this in order to make progress. |
| “We’ve bent over backwards to try to meet every demand that the trade unions have made. To be honest, I don’t believe their demands are strong enough to justify action of this scale.” | “We’ve bent over backwards to try to meet every demand that the trade unions have made. To be honest, I don’t believe their demands are strong enough to justify action of this scale.” |
| Glasgow council has sent letters to those affected, informing them that the service they usually receive will be withdrawn for two days during the strike. | Glasgow council has sent letters to those affected, informing them that the service they usually receive will be withdrawn for two days during the strike. |
| A spokeswoman added: “Rather than the reduced service we expected to be able to deliver with support from the trade unions; for many more people, there will now be no service at all. We are deeply concerned about the impact, but we have absolutely no alternative.” | A spokeswoman added: “Rather than the reduced service we expected to be able to deliver with support from the trade unions; for many more people, there will now be no service at all. We are deeply concerned about the impact, but we have absolutely no alternative.” |
| Wolfson said unions had agreed to all council requests to support “life and limb” cover, adding the offer from union members to work through the strike to support vulnerable users needing home care still stands. | Wolfson said unions had agreed to all council requests to support “life and limb” cover, adding the offer from union members to work through the strike to support vulnerable users needing home care still stands. |
| “The council’s officers have been incapable of putting in place the most basic cover despite having three weeks to prepare and the offers we have made every single day to resolve the dispute,” she said. | “The council’s officers have been incapable of putting in place the most basic cover despite having three weeks to prepare and the offers we have made every single day to resolve the dispute,” she said. |
| “Our members work for some of the most vulnerable elderly and disabled people in our community and we would never do anything that could cause them harm.” | “Our members work for some of the most vulnerable elderly and disabled people in our community and we would never do anything that could cause them harm.” |
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