Unions lodge grievance over Glasgow Life job cuts

Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum is one of Scotland's most popular visitor attractions

Trade unions have lodged a formal collective grievance over potential job cuts at the body which runs libraries, museums and sports centres for Glasgow City Council.

Glasgow Life has lost £38m during the pandemic and wants to cut 500 jobs.

But Unison, GMB and Unite say the arms-length charity has failed to properly consult staff about the plans.

Glasgow Life said the job cuts would be made "over time" and would not involve compulsory redundancies.

The three unions argue Glasgow Life has failed to provide "basic staffing information" setting out how jobs might be protected and claim there was no "coherent plan" to reopen venues closed during the pandemic.

Brian Smith, Unison branch secretary, said: "We oppose all cuts to jobs and services. Glasgow needs more investment, not less.

"The trade unions are calling for a proper plan to secure the financial future of all current services and jobs. Glasgow's councillors and MSPs need to do more.

"Implementing cuts and managing the city's decline was not what they were elected to do. "

The Riverside Museum, which opened in 2013, is also operated by Glasgow Life

The attractions run by Glasgow Life for the council include Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum, the People's Palace, Riverside Museum and the Mitchell Library.

Eighty of its 171 venues across the city remain shut.

Glasgow Life has previously said it would target early retirement packages and voluntary redundancies to achieve the job cuts.

'Underfunded'

Wendy Dunsmore, industrial officer for the Unite union, said: "The city's leisure and sport facilities, libraries and cultural venues are under immediate threat.

"We have called on the SNP government, for more than a decade now, to change their policy of underfunding local authorities with Glasgow being consistently one of the most underfunded areas."

The unions said they are supporting a march and demonstration organised by the Glasgow Against Closures campaign due to take place on 31 July.

A spokesman for Glasgow Life said: "We can confirm receipt of a collective grievance from Unison, GMB and Unite, and we will consider the matters raised through our formal grievance procedure."

Extra funding

A Scottish government spokeswoman said: "We know how difficult it has been throughout the pandemic for organisations such as Glasgow Life which are at the forefront of improving the physical and mental wellbeing of the community.

"To date, the council has been allocated an additional £221.7m to respond to the Covid-19 pandemic, through the local government settlement - over and above their regular grant payments.