Glasgow Council Reaches Unison Deal to Avert Fire-and-Rehire of 23,000 Staff

Glasgow city council has struck an agreement with the trade union Unison over pay and grading, averting what would have been one of the largest fire-and-rehire exercises in UK history. The council had contacted 23,000 non-teaching staff at the end of last month to warn they were at risk of dismissal and reappointment, many on worse terms. The move drew heavy criticism from opposition parties, unions and employees.

The dispute centred on a new pay and grading system intended to settle long-standing equal pay issues. Talks with Unison broke down when the union refused to ballot its members on the proposal, which would have cut wages for 11% of staff. On Monday the council agreed to protect the pay of those workers for three years, and Unison confirmed it will now put the deal to a ballot of its members this month.

Council leader Ricky Bell said he was delighted an agreement had been reached with Unison and that the unpalatable prospect of fire-and-rehire had been removed. He described the package as a strong and fair deal, noting that GMB and Unite have already agreed to take it to their members. Bell said the goal was to end pay discrimination at the council once and for all, and thanked the Scottish government for additional support in unlocking the agreement.

Bell also stressed there was no further money available as part of the package, and said he looked forward to the outcome of the union ballots. Unison Glasgow city branch secretary Chris Sermanni said the union had stood firm because workers deserved better than the original offer, and that this position had secured significant movement. He said members can now give their verdict without the immediate threat of dismissal and re-engagement hanging over them.

Unison said many issues remain unresolved and negotiations will continue, including on the equality impacts of the new pay structure. The ballot is expected to run for four weeks, with a detailed timeline to be set out in the coming days.

The three unions representing council staff are now engaging with their memberships, moving the dispute towards a resolution. The outcome of the votes will determine whether the new pay and grading system proceeds as planned.