Glasgow Subway workers to strike in row over pay and working conditions

Subway workers who feel “devalued and ignored” have voted for strike action in a dispute over pay and working conditions, a union has said.

Unite said more than 100 staff employed in Glasgow’s Strathclyde Partnership for Transport (SPT) subway voted by 97.5% in favour of industrial action, with a series of 24-hour stoppages planned later this month.

Strikes are scheduled for June 21, 25, 27, and 28, and an overtime ban will be in place from June 13.

The disruption will mean the subway system will be closed on the Punk All Dayer festival featuring the Sex Pistols, with the Sting, Simple Minds and the Stereophonics gigs being held as part of the summer sessions at Bellahouston Park.

The union added that a continuous overtime ban will also be in place from June 13.

The dispute comes as SPT workers claim the subway system is “struggling” to operate due to chronic understaffing.

Unite added that train drivers and station staff are “routinely working up to ten hours” beyond contracted hours to keep the system operating without improving the shift, overtime, and weekend allowances.

“Unite members are repeatedly called in to work shifts at short notice, leading to significant work-life pressures,” a spokesperson for the union said.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “Unite’s Glasgow subway members feel totally devalued and ignored. We will not tolerate our members being exhausted and underpaid. The subway system is running on empty.

“SPT has had every opportunity to resolve the chronic issues that have resulted in this dispute but have chosen not to act.”

Andrew Brown, Unite industrial officer, said: “The strike action will cause major disruption across the subway system, but this is entirely the fault of SPT’s management, which has continuously ignored the workers’ concerns about being overstretched and understaffed.”

Unite warned that unless there are improvements to the working conditions of the SPT members, then strike action could escalate over the summer months.

SPT director of transport operations Richard Robinson said: “We have been notified by the UNITE the Union that it intends to ask its members to strike on June 21, 25, 27 and 28.

“SPT is currently looking at what this means for services on those days. While we are disappointed that UNITE has chosen to take this action while we are still in active discussions, SPT remains committed to working with UNITE to resolve all issues as we plan for future working arrangements for the Subway.”