PARKS staff in Glasgow have been moved from their normal duties to collect bins as strikes continue during COP26.

A total of 970 cleansing employees have downed their tools during the climate summit in a campaign for better pay.

The walkout - which has left bins overflowing across the city - started at one minute past midnight on Monday morning and is expected to last until November 8. 

Glasgow Times:

READ MORE: Binmen in Glasgow strike from today during COP26: Here's everything you need to know

In order to minimise disruption, cleansing chiefs have confirmed they will deploy staff from environmental services for refuse collections while the industrial action continues. 

The Glasgow Times also understands agency workers will be drafted in to collect bins in the city for the first time since 2009.

The staff who have been moved from maintaining parks were not balloted for the strikes. 

A Glasgow City Council spokesperson said: “Staff in our environmental service form a broad workforce that can be deployed to undertake a wide range of tasks.

“This means parks staff can be asked to support refuse collection services at any time depending on operational requirements on particular days."

The local authority had previously asked GMB to provide priority exemptions from strikes in a bid to tackle potential public health risks caused by overflowing bins. 

The union, has, however, not responded to the request. 

Glasgow Times:

READ MORE: Extinction Rebellion stand with Glasgow binmen on third day of COP26 strikes

The spokesman added: “Despite GMB’s strike action we still have an obligation to provide what services we can for people in the city and we will draw upon our general workforce for assistance where ever possible.

“Any member of staff who withdraws their labour during strike action cannot reasonably expect to be paid.”

“But the purpose of this strike action is becoming increasingly unclear now that GMB has indicated they will wait until November 24 to ballot their membership on the national pay deal agreed at COSLA.”

The move has sparked outrage among the cleansing employees, who claim the shift is causing the workforce a "great deal of stress". 

One parks worker, who wished not to be named, said: "This is putting a great deal of stress on us because we have been forced into carrying out cleansing duties during strike action.

"This isn't our normal duties but management will continue to put pressure on us."

The GMB said that it will support its members in environmental services "in any way we can."

Glasgow Times:

Sean Baillie, GMB Scotland Organiser, said: “I think it is shameful the council is forcing workers to undermine industrial action. Full support to those workers who are being asked to do that. 

“We will support our workers if they are asked to come over in any way possible that we can. The council needs to respect the conditions of industrial dispute and get round the table to find a resolution to this.” 

The union had previously agreed to stall strike action during the climate summit after COSLA offered those earning below £25,000 an additional £1062.

Union chiefs say that the U-turn was prompted by Glasgow City Council failing to give “the proper time and space to consider the 11th-hour offer from Cosla”.