Glasgow City Council workers to stage two-day strike in row over equal pay

Thousands of Glasgow City Council workers will stage a two-day strike later this month in a row over equal pay claims.

More than 8,000 members of the GMB and Unison unions are due to walk out for 48 hours from Tuesday October 23.

The unions said the strike will affect home care, schools and nurseries.

Thousands of female workers are proceeding with equal pay claims against the council following a Court of Session ruling last year.

GMB Scotland organiser Rhea Wolfson said members will bring the city to a “standstill” in order to progress negotiations.

Mary Dawson, Unison Glasgow chairwoman, added: “Our members are now standing up and fighting back. Low-paid workers, mostly women who have had enough.

“We have given the council 10 months to make progress on addressing the historical discrimination suffered by these workers.

“However, the council has agreed nothing, offered nothing and all we have had are meetings about meetings and talks about talks. It’s time for some action.”

A Glasgow City Council spokesman said the unions know their demands “cannot be met”.

He added: “Unions agreed to the current timescale as part of the negotiations which have been ongoing for several months – and it is simply wrong to move to strike action when they know that it will not and cannot achieve anything.

“The unions also fully understand that we cannot continue to negotiate an equal pay settlement with them while they are engaged in industrial action.

“However, the vast majority of the claimants are represented by Action 4 Equality Scotland and we will continue negotiations with them during this time.”

_{Copyright (c) Press Association Ltd. 2018, All Rights Reserved. Picture (c) Lucinda Cameron / PA Wire.}