Equal pay strikes suspended as financial deal under way

Workers have previously taken part in a 48-hour strike over equal pay

Strike action which could have closed schools and affected care services in Glasgow has been suspended.

Council staff had planned industrial action in April and May over an equal pay dispute.

However unions, the council and lawyers have begun work on a financial deal, and the council has targeted a payment by October.

Unison and GMB said the dispute would remain live in the event that legal discussions faltered.

Strikes were due to take place on 20 and 21 April, as well as further dates in May.

The council said anyone who had been contacted about school or nursery closures could expect normal services to resume.

A spokesman added: "We will continue to work with trades unions and others representing claimants to deliver a settlement."

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The industrial action stems from the long-running equal pay dispute, mainly involving female workers, which was settled at an estimated cost of £500m in 2019.

However, unions have accused the council of "unnecessary delays" in settling claims from after March 2018.

A proposed strike in March was called off after unions said the council has made "significant concessions" and talks could resume.

On Tuesday, Glasgow City Council leader Susan Aitken wrote to the trade unions saying the council was prepared to consider an interim or phased payment, subject to negotiation.

She wrote: "We remain committed to a settlement that has the same basis as the 2019 deal.

"We are targeting a payment in October. We know that this momentum needs to be kept up in the weeks and months ahead so that a settlement and payment can be made quickly."

'Still work to do'

Sean Baillie, GMB Scotland organiser, said that key commitments had been secured from the council.

He added: "We will monitor developments closely, as further details of the implementation of these commitments emerge, and our mandate for strike action remains live."

Unison's Scottish secretary Tracey Dalling added: "It is simply unacceptable that women were forced to take their fight all the way to the brink of strike action.

"However we now seem to have reached agreement, there is still hard work to do, but this is good news for everyone across Glasgow."