
Subway workers vote to strike in row over pay and working conditions
Subway workers who feel 'devalued and ignored' have voted for strike action in a dispute over pay and working conditions, a union has said.
Unite said more than 100 staff employed in Glasgow's Strathclyde Partnership for Transport (SPT) subway voted by 97.5% in favour of industrial action, with a series of 24-hour stoppages planned later this month.
Strikes are to take place on June 21, 25, 27 and 28 while an overtime ban will be in place from June 13.
The union warned that chronic under-staffing has led to the subway system struggling, with train drivers and station staff often working up to 10 hours over their contract of 39 hours per week.
Unite said that SPT has not made any improvements, and that staff are frequently called in to work additional shifts at short notice.
The subway system will be closed on the day of the Punk All Dayer festival in Bellahouston Park, which features acts like Sex Pistols, the Sting, Simple Minds and Stereophonics
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: 'Unite's Glasgow subway members membership feel totally devalued and ignored.
'We will not tolerate our members being exhausted and underpaid. The subway system is running on empty.
'SPT has had every opportunity to resolve the chronic issues that have resulted in this dispute but have chosen not to act.'
Andrew Brown, Unite industrial officer, said: 'The strike action will cause major disruption across the subway system but this is entirely the fault of SPT's management which has continuously ignored the workers' concerns about being overstretched and under-staffed.'
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