Glasgow City Council to fire and re-hire over 23,000 employees

Glasgow City Council has announced plans to dismiss over 23,000 non-teaching employees and subsequently rehire them under new contracts following the collapse of pay negotiations with key unions. The council intends to send redundancy letters to affected staff next week, with the updated contracts set to commence from 1 January. This move comes after failed discussions earlier this week involving the GMB, Unison, and Unite unions, when Unison refused to hold a ballot on the proposed pay offer.

The dispute revolves around the implementation of a revised pay and grading structure, created to replace a system previously identified as discriminatory against women. Although around 90% of staff would see their pay stay the same or increase under the new scheme, approximately 11% of employees face wage reductions. The council has pledged to withdraw redundancy notices if the unions agree to let their members vote on the pay proposal. The dismissal letters will affect all non-teaching council workers, ranging from refuse collectors to nursery staff and including senior figures like the chief executive, Susanne Millar. Union representatives have condemned the council’s actions as a “scandalous threat” and demanded the withdrawal of the planned dismissals.

Council spokesperson Colin Edgar criticized Unison for its decision, arguing that the union had betrayed its members by not proceeding with the ballot. Edgar emphasized that without agreement from the unions, there is now “no agreed way forward between the council and the joint trade unions.” He added, “The council has gone as far as it can,” noting that the majority of staff benefit from the new pay system and the council’s overall pay bill will increase. Edgar highlighted that protections for those facing pay cuts had been extended from six to twelve months and that union-led local consultations are underway to explore ways to mitigate the impact on affected employees.

Unison’s Scotland regional organiser Mandy McDowall accused the council of trying to pressure staff into a substandard deal under tight deadlines, calling the dismissal strategy unhelpful and warning it risks tarnishing the council’s reputation as an employer. She confirmed Unison would continue pushing for a fair agreement and would hold a ballot on any future offer. Meanwhile, Unite representative Graham McNabb denounced the council’s tactics as reckless, promising that his union would respond forcefully if the “fire and rehire” approach goes ahead. The pay restructuring at Glasgow City Council comes after nearly a decade of negotiations, intending to rectify historic unequal pay claims that led to payouts totaling around £770 million to female workers who were underpaid compared to male colleagues in other roles

Read the full article from The BBC here: Read More