Glasgow janitors set to stage week-long strike action

Janitors previously staged strike action in March and April

More than 100 primary school janitors in Glasgow are set to stage a week-long strike next week over a pay dispute.

Members of the Unison union are already boycotting some duties and have staged shorter strikes in March and April.

The escalated action aims to win extra cash for tasks that are dirty or involve outside work and heavy lifting.

The janitors work for Cordia, a body of Glasgow City Council, which said it was working to ensure schools ran as normal but could not rule out some disruption.

Unison has said that janitors are entitled to a Working Context and Demands Payment which ranges from about £500 to more than £1,000 annually.

The union said that since members began boycotting certain duties in January, schools and playgrounds were not being cleaned as quickly and thoroughly as previously.

A council spokeswoman said the dispute did not involve all janitors - just those primary school ones who are members of Unison.

"The council will continue to work with Cordia to ensure that our schools and nurseries will be open for business as usual," she said.

"Our expectation is that all Breakfast Clubs will operate as normal during the five-day industrial action.

"However, parents and carers need to be aware that this is subject to change at short notice depending of local arrangements and circumstances."

A spokesperson for Cordia Services LLP said: "Cordia has exhausted each of the stages of its formal grievance process with the janitorial staff who are participating in industrial action.

"The organisation is working closely with Glasgow City Council Education Services to ensure there is minimal disruption at affected schools."