Glasgow Jannies strike again in fight for justice

Glasgow City Unison Janitors who work for the Labour council ALEO Cordia have just begun, from Monday, a second round of five-days of strike action over their claim for a Working Context and Demands Payment.

Their colleagues in other parts of the company receive additional pay for duties involving physical demand, working in a dirty environment, working outdoors or in unpleasant conditions. Payments can range from £500 to £1,000 annually.

Their first five-day week long strike from 16th – 20th May became a major news story in Glasgow after the three-day strikes that had already taken place. 

The council had to take measures to keep schools open on election day as polling stations. But the Labour council and Cordia have let this situation build up in schools and are refusing to negotiate with the janitors.

Unison have constantly issued safety advice for parent/carers in Glasgow primary schools during the strike. There is copious evidence that standards have dropped during the action and school premises are not being cleaned speedily or thoroughly putting kids and the whole school family at risk.

Also there is evidence that in some primary schools during the strike days playgrounds have been left unsecure, visitors are not signing in and children have left the premises on their own, while fire registers are left unattended.

All of these measures and standards are key work done by the janitors and are critical to keep children and staff safe. These breaches therefore represent a real risk.

The response of the Labour council and Cordia to the strike is not about saving money.

Unison material and press statements have highlighted that Cordia and their political masters at Glasgow City Council have spent an extra £200,000 since the janitor’s industrial action began, in an attempt to undermine the action, by paying non-union, non-janitorial staff extra payments.

The dispute could be settled for £120,000 per year

Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell, speaking at the Glasgow May Day rally and march which the janitors led, called for a resolution of the dispute. But Glasgow’s Labour group and council officers have reverted to type in their anti-union record on industrial relations and show no signs of even opening talks with Unison.

This arrogant anti-union approach is summed up by a recent statement of the chair of Cordia and Labour councillor Razaq, saying: “There is no possibility of a negotiated settlement on this issue”.

Striking janitors have been carrying out high profile public campaigning and getting large support from the public.

They have been lobbying councillors and going out into communities to explain the #justice4jannies cause. They have also lobbied the Scottish Parliament.

Janitors shop steward Brian Ashe said: “Cordia and the Labour council should understand that the janitors are not going away. We are only asking for what we deserve and we have escalated this action and will do so again until we get justice. We are appealing for the public to lobby their councillors and raise the jannies case putting further pressure on the Labour administration”.

Socialist Party Scotland fully backs #justice4jannies. This dispute yet again shows the role of Labour councils taking a pro-austerity anti-union approach. We also call for Cordia to brought back into council control and under democratic management.

Send messages of solidarity to 

unisonenquiries@glasgowcityunison.org.uk