Unison union agrees Glasgow janitor pay deal

Janitors had staged 67 days of strike action since March 2016

Glasgow primary school janitors have agreed a pay deal in a long-running dispute over plans to re-organise the service and pay.

Unison members voted in favour of a 6% pay rise for the existing 196 janitors, and the number of jobs to rise to 213.

The original offer from employer Cordia, under the previous Labour administration, included plans to share one janitor between multiple schools.

The plan was to cut the number of jobs to 186, but with 30 new promoted posts.

New senior posts

This original offer from the Glasgow City Council body Cordia, which was withdrawn by the previous council administration in March, would have seen a 6% pay rise for 156 janitors and a 20% increase for a further 30 promoted posts.

Under the new deal, there is to be an overall staffing level of 213, with 35 of these to be new senior janitor posts.

These senior roles will come with a staged £4,000 annual pay rise over two years.

Unison had been calling on Cordia to pay janitors Working Context and Demands Payments, which range from £500 to £1,000 per year.

This is for tasks that are dirty or involve outside work and heavy lifting.

Unison said the new deal included a £520 working context payment.

'Workers can win'

Brian Smith, branch secretary for Glasgow Unison, said: "The dispute shows that workers can win if they are determined and organised, supported by their local branch and the wider trade union, escalate strike action when necessary, involve the wider community and build pressure on elected politicians at key points.

"We will draw on the lessons of the dispute for future campaigns, particularly within Cordia, where there remains numerous unfair pay arrangements affecting members."

Susan Aitken, leader of Glasgow City Council, said: "I am pleased we have been able to bring about a positive end to this dispute, which has been one of longest disputes in Glasgow City Council in recent decades.

"This dispute was allowed to drag on far too long by the previous administration.

"We promised parents and pupils this would be a priority for the city government.

"Today's agreement means we start the new school year with a deal that works for the janitors, the council and Glasgow's schools."