Parking staff threaten disruption at big match

A strike by parking staff threatens disruption before Scotland’s looming clash with the Auld Enemy.

GMB Scotland warns the Tartan Army arriving at Hampden for the match with England next month faces traffic problems with illegally parked cars potentially blocking routes around the National Stadium.

The parking staff working for Glasgow City Council will not ticket or arrange to tow cars in the hours before the game as part of industrial action by local authority workers over pay.

The streets around Mount Florida, in the south of the city, are notoriously congested before big games and the strike threatens to slow or halt supporters’ buses and fans arriving by car.

GMB Scotland said the strike was called to coincide with the midweek game with England on 12 September to highlight the difference in the pay offer made to council colleagues south of the border.

Keir Greenaway, the union’s senior organiser in public services said: “The lowest-paid council workers in England have been offered a pay rise many hundreds of pounds more than staff doing the same job in Scotland.

“Our members have every right to ask why? And they have every right to take action to ensure the value of their work is fairly recognised.

“Cosla has had months to resolve this dispute. The Scottish Government has had months to intervene.

“Instead, they have sat on their hands while council workers, doing some of the most important jobs in Scotland, endure a cost of living crisis.

“On the pitch, our members will always support Scotland. Off the pitch, they must support themselves and their families.”

The action comes after parking staff fighting for fair pay walked out for two days of action during  the UCI Cycling World Championships in the city.

However, GMB say parking staff have already been pushed to breaking point and describe a parking enforcement service that is understaffed and overstretched. Morale is low, workers warn, and the poor condition of the city’s roads is piling pressure on staff.

Staff describe having to endure anger and abuse from drivers who have unwittingly parked illegally because signs and road markings are in poor condition.

The workers are taking action after council staff overwhelmingly rejected a 5.5% pay offer from Cosla, representing Scotland’s 32 local authorities. Cosla meet today [Friday 25 August] in what has been described as the last chance to avert disruptive strike action.

Next month, GMB Scotland members working in schools and early years education will strike for two days across ten of Scotland’s local authorities with other unions threatening similar action.

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Contact: GMB Scotland Communications: gmbscotcampaigns@gmb.org.uk