Anger has grown over recent months among workers in Culture and Sport Glasgow in reaction to attacks on their pay and conditions. The city council last year carried out what amounted to a privatisation, by hiving off these services to an “arms length” company.
The long-suspected intention of such a move (as other cities’ workers have experienced) has been revealed as a cost cutting exercise, with jobs and standards in the firing line. The stated aim was to attract private funds. Now we know the implications. These workers are among the lowest paid and are tired of being made scapegoats for failures of council investments during this financial crisis.
“All the trades unions in Culture and Sport Glasgow are united in their opposition to these attacks on their members pay and conditions,” said Brian Smith, the Glasgow Branch Secretary of Unison. “We have tried to negotiate with CSG, but have been left with no option other than to use strike action in an effort to defend ourselves.”
The latest of a series of actions culminated in a three-day strike ending on 20 June that affected the UK Swimming Masters Event. Brian Smith said “our strike is rock solid”, with managers the only ones in attendance.