The Scottish Socialist Party condemns threats by the SNP-controlled Glasgow City Council to bring in private contractors to undermine striking cleansing workers.
Glasgow City Council has threatened to bill the GMB Trade Union for the cost of private services.
SSP National Workplace Organiser Richie Venton said:
“News reports that the SNP Glasgow City Council are poised to use private contractors to do the work of striking cleansing workers is an outrage.
“An appalling case of putting the false prestige of the council in the eyes of the world at COP26 ahead of the rights of their loyal, hardworking workers, who pick up the crap all year round and deserve decent pay for the public service they provide.
“If the council use private contractors it will expose them as anti-worker and anti-trade union, just as ready to use scab labour as your average Tory council.
“Trade unionists across the board should rally behind the strikers and defeat this scabbing.”
Cleansing workers and members of GMB were joined by other trade unionists – including some from as far afield as India, France, and the USA – at a lively protest demo this morning.
They are demanding that Glasgow City Council cough up a decent pay rise.
Regarding ongoing strike action, GMB Convenor Chris Mitchell this morning said:
“This has been coming for a long time.
“We’ve been treated like shit on their Gucci shoes.
“We are here with other trade unionists and activists showing that the solidarity and camaraderie is growing stronger and stronger.”
Chris Mitchell is a guest speaker at the SSP public meeting this Monday 8th November at 7pm in the Community Central Halls, Maryhill.
He will be joined by BFAWU General Secretary Sarah Woolley, and RMT Regional Organiser Mick Hogg.
Winning a Socialist Green New Deal: Monday 8 November 2021
The Scottish Socialist Party is bringing the case for a Socialist Green New Deal to COP26.
Join our free public meeting at Community Central Hall, Maryhill, at 7pm Monday 8 November to hear from Trade Union organisers – including BFAWU General Secretary Sarah Wooley, RMT Regional Organiser Mick Hogg, and the Glasgow GMB’s Chris Mitchell – why we need a Socialist Green New Deal.
Click HERE to register today
As capitalist polluters and the governments who prop them up gather at COP26 to discuss climate change – like criminals returning to the scene of their crimes – workers are fighting back.
Railway workers are campaigning against savage cuts to the service – which would totally undermine building clean, green transport to cut car pollution.
Workers in the cleansing service and schools are amongst those fighting against cuts to their real pay, the services they provide, and against the filthy state the host city is in, after years of underfunding.
We need to build solidarity with those in struggle – and link that to the urgent need for measures to combat both poverty and pollution.
This meeting will hear the case for a worker-led transition from fossil fuels to green energy – with no loss of jobs or conditions; the need to retrofit every home, and build 100,000 new eco-houses for rent; the case for free public transport to combat pollution, poverty and social isolation; and other measures that would help achieve socialist change to combat climate change.
As well as workers and young people on the front line, and an SSP speaker, we are delighted to have the General Secretary of the Bakers Union (BFAWU) SARAH WOOLLEY, RMT Regional Organiser MICK HOGG, and CHRIS MITCHELL from the GMB Trade Union.
Click HERE to register today
