Strike Action in Glasgow as UCI Championships start
- 9 months ago
UCI World Cycling Championships get underway but in Glasgow prepare to strike over pay.
As the championship began today at the Chris Hoy Velodrome visitors where met with striking workers outside the venue.
Unite union members have voted in favour of 48 hours of strike action, including Emirates Arena staff and traffic wardens.
The industrial action is due to began at 7.30am, in a protest over poor pay. Glasgow Life, the charity which runs leisure facilities on behalf of the city council, is now trying to put plans in place to make sure the event can go ahead without disruption.
There are around 70 Unite members who work for Glasgow Life at the Emirates Arena, as well as wardens for City Parking.
Pickets are planned outside the arena and at Cadogan Square Car Park, to coincide with the industrial action.
And, both groups met for a rally at midday at the top of Buchanan Street, next to the statue of Scotland's inaugural First Minister, Donald Dewar.
Unite General Secretary, Sharon Graham, said: “City Parking and Glasgow Life workers have no option but to take strike action. They deserve a fair pay award rather than a significant real terms pay cut.”
Unite Scotland’s Industrial Officer, Graham McNab, said: “The 48-hour strike action by our members at Glasgow Life and City Parking is a clear warning to COSLA and the Scottish Government. The disruption beginning in Glasgow could spread over large parts of the country involving thousands of key council workers.
“We repeat our calls for the Scottish Government to directly intervene because we are at an impasse, and the only way this dispute will be resolved is if an improved offer is put on the table for workers who deserve better from their elected representatives.”
Unite members rejected the 5% pay rise offered by COSLA for 2023, during a ballot held in May, with 84% of members voting against it. The rise is less than half the current rate of broader inflation, which sits at 10.7%.
A spokesperson for Glasgow Life said: “Following confirmation of strike action we are looking at how this may impact our delivery of the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships and where we can put contingency plans in place to mitigate against such action.”
As the championship began today at the Chris Hoy Velodrome visitors where met with striking workers outside the venue.
Unite union members have voted in favour of 48 hours of strike action, including Emirates Arena staff and traffic wardens.
The industrial action is due to began at 7.30am, in a protest over poor pay. Glasgow Life, the charity which runs leisure facilities on behalf of the city council, is now trying to put plans in place to make sure the event can go ahead without disruption.
There are around 70 Unite members who work for Glasgow Life at the Emirates Arena, as well as wardens for City Parking.
Pickets are planned outside the arena and at Cadogan Square Car Park, to coincide with the industrial action.
And, both groups met for a rally at midday at the top of Buchanan Street, next to the statue of Scotland's inaugural First Minister, Donald Dewar.
Unite General Secretary, Sharon Graham, said: “City Parking and Glasgow Life workers have no option but to take strike action. They deserve a fair pay award rather than a significant real terms pay cut.”
Unite Scotland’s Industrial Officer, Graham McNab, said: “The 48-hour strike action by our members at Glasgow Life and City Parking is a clear warning to COSLA and the Scottish Government. The disruption beginning in Glasgow could spread over large parts of the country involving thousands of key council workers.
“We repeat our calls for the Scottish Government to directly intervene because we are at an impasse, and the only way this dispute will be resolved is if an improved offer is put on the table for workers who deserve better from their elected representatives.”
Unite members rejected the 5% pay rise offered by COSLA for 2023, during a ballot held in May, with 84% of members voting against it. The rise is less than half the current rate of broader inflation, which sits at 10.7%.
A spokesperson for Glasgow Life said: “Following confirmation of strike action we are looking at how this may impact our delivery of the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships and where we can put contingency plans in place to mitigate against such action.”