New Glasgow Subway strike dates to affect TRNSMT as row escalates

Union body Unite confirmed that the dispute over pay and working conditions involving over 100 Strathclyde Partnership for Transport (SPT) workers on the Glasgow subway is set to escalate with three extra days of action taking place during July.

Further strike action will now take place on Friday, 11 July, Saturday, 12 July and Sunday, 13 July. Meanwhile, a continuous overtime ban has been in place since 13 June. The decision comes after an interim offer recently made by SPT was overwhelmingly rejected by the members.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “Unite’s members will no longer accept intolerable working conditions. SPT has had years to resolve the problem and has failed to do so. Our members have said enough is enough. We will support them all the way in their fight for better jobs, pay and conditions.”

Last week, Unite’s members held three days of action which brought the subway system to a stop as no stations were open and services weren’t running. The dispute centres on pay, shift allowances and working conditions of the SPT workers.

The union said 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.

Andrew Brown, Unite industrial officer, said: “SPT can fix this dispute at any point but they are refusing to do so. It needs to make an improved offer which our members can then seriously consider.”

“Strike action is now set to take place later this month which will again bring the subway to a complete stop. This isn’t inevitable if SPT come back to the table with an improved offer but if they don’t then the blame will be entirely with them for their failure to fix this dispute.”

Strike action took place at the end of June, with three dates of industrial action on Wednesday, 25 June, Friday, 27 June and Saturday, 28 June.