Glasgow is set to be disrupted immensely by a whole host of industrial action taken by rail workers, postal delivery employees and coffin suppliers.
As Christmas creeps around the corner, those posting presents and cards, visiting family and so on will be heavily impacted by these strikes. The industrial action is set to continue on until 2023, and could go further.
But what does this all mean if you live in Glasgow? Read on below to find out more.
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Royal Mail strikes
Members of the Communication Workers Union (CWU) – who represent Royal Mail workers – are set to strike across more days - including Christmas Eve. This is due to an ongoing dispute over sick pay, pay cuts and working conditions.
Currently, walkouts are due on the following days:
- December 14
- December 15
- December 23
- December 24
Bosses at Royal Mail have offered a nine per cent pay hike over 18 months to dispute these strike days, which they have stated is their “best and final offer.”
Railway worker strikes
Glasgow rail passengers are expected to face further disruption when it comes to travel after RMT Network Rail members voted to continue striking over a dispute about pay, jobs and working conditions.
RMT announced further national strike action across the Great Britain railway network in a separate dispute with Network Rail and other train operating companies.
This means Network Rail members of the RMT will be striking on the following dates:
- 13-14 December
- 16-17 December
- 24-27 December
- 3-4 January
- 6-7 January
While this is a separate dispute, the planned strikes on those days will cause disruption to ScotRail services, as Network Rail Scotland signallers and maintenance staff, who are in safety-critical roles, will be on strike.
The following services will run two trains per hour between Tuesday, December 13 until Saturday, December 17:
- Edinburgh - Glasgow via Falkirk High
- Edinburgh – Helensburgh
- Glasgow – Hamilton/Larkhall
- Glasgow – Lanark
Milngavie – Springburn
And these services will run one train per hour between Tuesday, December 13 until Saturday, December 17:
- Edinburgh – Glasgow via Shotts
- Glasgow Queen St – Larbert
- Glasgow Queen St – Falkirk Grahamston
This limited strike timetable will also operate on the non-strike day - Thursday, December 15. This is due to the closing and reopening of signal boxes at different times throughout the day.
There will also be some disruption on the days before December 12 and after December 18. More information can be found on the ScotRail website.
Glasgow coffin supply facing disruption
A Glasgow coffin factory is facing disruption to its supply as workers prepare to go on strike for the third month in a row with Unite confirming further strike action is set to hit the Co-op Funeralcare in Govan this week.
It comes after bosses 'failed to make an acceptable offer' to resolve the pay dispute. As previously reported by Glasgow Live, around 50 craft workers based at the Co-op’s factory in Govan are fighting for a fair pay award.
The company offered around four per cent for 2022, and five per cent for 2023 however both have been rejected amid soaring inflation rates.
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “The Co-op seem to be revelling in playing the role of Scrooge this Christmas. Unite’s members deserve a fair pay award yet they have been made an offer which falls three times behind the current cost of living. This is totally unacceptable and our members will have their union’s full backing in this fight for better jobs, pay and conditions.”
Willie Thomson, Unite industrial officer, added: "Bosses at the Co-op Funeralcare and Co-op UK have quite frankly dumped their cooperative values in the bin. They have chosen to subcontract and pay third party suppliers in preference to their workers who are rightly seeking a fair wage settlement.
“As well as ignoring their workers they are also ignoring the voices of politicians after the Co-op was named and shamed at both Holyrood and Westminster parliaments. The Co-op risks significant reputation damage and disruption to its supply of coffins by deliberately taking the decision to escalate this dispute.”
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