Glasgow City Council pauses plan to fire and rehire 23,000 workers

Glasgow City Council has paused its plan to fire and rehire more than 20,000 employees on revised contracts following intense backlash and accusations of “bullying”. The decision follows the collapse of negotiations regarding a long-running equal pay dispute involving the trade unions GMB, Unite, and Unison.

The council stated the pause was agreed upon after constructive discussions with the Scottish government and the unions, providing an opportunity to resume negotiations and potentially utilize an ACAS package. The objective remains to secure a collective agreement on a new pay and grading scheme that is free from discrimination.

While the council maintains that most staff will see pay rises or stability, approximately 11% of workers could face wage cuts, with some reductions exceeding £10,000. Council officials described the situation as “hellish,” noting that leadership felt “sick” about the prospect of forced contract changes. There has been conflicting accounts regarding the impasse, with Unison disputing the council's claims that the union was responsible for the breakdown in talks.