Glasgow homelessness workers strike is growing stronger

Matt Dobson reports

The indefinite all-out strike of the Glasgow Homeless Caseworkers is still going strong after over a month. After weeks of trying to ignore the strike and the case for fair pay, Glasgow’s Labour councillors and management were forced to at least meet Glasgow City Unison on Friday 24th April.

The strike has remained solid throughout April. There are reports of the accommodation the council had stockpiled in anticipation of the dispute running out and the service breaking down. There has also been widespread public support for the strike in Glasgow and across the country. Strikers in the North East of the city have picketed Barlinnie prison, where a handful of caseworkers who are GMB members have stayed at work. This had had an impact on pressuring management further.

Prison Officer POA members stopped at the picket to give support and £340 was collected for the strike fund in one morning. Successful collections have also taken place at other social work offices. 

Strikers have been speaking at union rallies and meetings across the country and to local community anti cuts campaigns in the city. We spoke to Jenni, a striker from the North West Team, at a Castlemilk Against Austerity gig. “This is my first time on strike and you learn a lot, we need to be really organised as it doesn’t look like management will give in easily. We need all the support we can get from workers, trade unions and people in communities.”  

Donations have been coming in including £1000 from the Mid Yorkshire Health UNISON Branch Committee where Socialist Party members play a leading role. 

All this plus the lively well organised picket lines and demonstrations outside the council brought management to the table. 

Before the talks started strikers and supporters marched to the council and rallied outside. Jamie Cocozza from Unite Strathclyde Passenger Transport workers (in a personal capacity) and Socialist Party Scotland spoke in solidarity. 

However the council, it seems, were only using this meeting to test the resolve of strikers. Unison Branch Secretary Brian Smith reported; “the council offered an eight week review of the homeless workers case but with no guarantee’s of fair pay and regrading”. 

This was rejected by a strikers meeting on Monday and the strike continues.  

Please send messages of support, donations and requests for speakers for union branches and events to:

enquiries@glasgowcityunison.co.uk Cheques to Glasgow City Unison 84 Bell Street, Glasgow G1 1LQ

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