Unions call for more money in protest outside Glasgow city chambers

Representatives from Unison, Unite, the GMB and Educational Institute of Scotland (EIS) gathered in front of the city chambers to call for more money for Glasgow.

They say a fair funding model is needed for councils in Scotland.

Unison’s Brian Smith said: “It is a crisis situation in Scottish local government, in Glasgow it is particularly acute because of historical underfunding.”

“It means that on top of £40m of cuts in the current year, the council could be facing another £50m, £60m worth of cuts. It's not quite clear yet.

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“We want the politicians in Glasgow to stand up for Glasgow. We want them to clearly make the case politically that Glasgow should have more money.

“Secondly, and we have said this for a decade, they should refuse to make any more cuts while they are fighting it.”

He added any decisions to not reopen Glasgow Life venues, such as libraries, should be due to safety concerns and not for financial reasons.

The City Treasurer has said the council could face a £90m shortfall as a result of Covid-19. It has been lobbying the UK and Scottish Government for more funding through COSLA.

Mr Smith added: “We will work with any political party in the city chambers if they say we’re not going to make any more cuts and we are going to have a campaign to get more money for the city.

Brian Smith, Unison

“But we can’t stand beside them when they are cutting services, when they are cutting jobs.

“We want national politicians to use their financial powers to raise taxes. There’s plenty of money in our society, it is just in the wrong hands.”

Mr Smith also said workers need to be kept safe and rewarded for their service with a pay rise.

“We have got the lowest paid people in the council providing what has now been deemed as some of the most essential services.”

Four speakers – Mr Smith, Susan Quinn, from EIS, Wendy Dunsmore, from Unite, and the GMB’s John Liddell – addressed the socially distanced demonstration.

Susan Quinn, EIS

Ms Quinn said more money was needed to support young people who have struggled at home during lockdown.

“What we need to see is additional funding in place to make sure that class sizes in our schools can be reduced to allow our young people and staff to be able to physically distance properly so that they remain safe.

“We need smaller class sizes also to be able to provide young people with the additional support they need so they can work to get caught up.”

Ms Dunsmore added: “What is required now is a fair funding model for local government, and in particular for those areas facing greater economic, transport and health challenges, such as Glasgow.

“The position whereby tens of millions of cuts to vital services are made every year is unsustainable, unfair and unacceptable, and it just piles pressures on to a workforce already stretched bare thin.”

Wendy Dunsmore, Unite

Morag Johnston, the council’s director of financial services, said: “The council’s response to Covid-19 has incurred additional costs.

“Also, there have been a number of areas suffering from reduced income resulting from lockdown restrictions.

“The council continues to engage with COSLA in lobbying the Scottish and UK Governments for additional funding to meet the full financial implications of Covid-19.

“In the interim, net costs are being underpinned by reserves.”