Glasgow council workers face pay cuts in fire-and-rehire plan after union talks break down

Unison refuses to ballot members on offer that would make thousands of council employees worse off

Thousands of Glasgow council workers face being sacked and reappointed under less favourable terms in one of the UK's biggest ever fire-and-rehire" exercises, after union negotiations broke down once again this week.

About 23,000 workers - all of the council's non-teaching staff - first heard they were affected last week when talks between the SNP-led council and the GMB, Unison and Unite unions fell apart. Those negotiations concerned a new pay and grading system designed to resolve historical pay equality issues. Unison refused to ballot its members on an offer that would mean pay cuts for 11% of council employees, prompting the council to begin issuing fire-and-rehire letters.