Strike action to stop SPT Glasgow subway after interim offer rejected
Over 100 Strathclyde Partnership for Transport (SPT) workers to take action
Unite can confirm that strike action involving over 100 Strathclyde Partnership for Transport (SPT) workers is set to bring the Glasgow subway to a stop after an interim offer was overwhelmingly rejected.
Strike action is now set to take place on Wednesday (25 June), Friday (27 June) and Saturday (28 June).
A continuous overtime ban has been in place from 13 June. Action was suspended on Saturday (21 June) to allow a ballot to be held on the interim offer on pay, terms and conditions.
The dispute centres on the working conditions of the SPT workers as Unite believes the subway system is ‘struggling’ to operate due to chronic understaffing.
Train drivers and station staff are routinely working up to 10 hours beyond contracted hours (39 hours) a week to keep the system operating without any improvements to the shift, overtime, and weekend allowances.
Unite members are also repeatedly called in to work shifts at short notice leading to significant work-life pressures.
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “Unite’s Glasgow subway members are fed up with SPT's half measures and failure to deliver decent working conditions.
“It has had every opportunity to sort out understaffing, shift pay and working hours. The workers have rightly said enough is enough because the subway is running on empty. SPT know what it needs to do to resolve the dispute but has entirely failed to act. “
Andrew Brown, Unite industrial officer, said: “The offer tabled by SPT was overwhelmingly rejected by our members.
“Strike action is now set to take place over a series of days bringing the subway to a stop. SPT has only itself to blame for failing to come up with any workable solution to this dispute which stretches back to last year."
