Glasgow reacts as Extinction Rebellion climate activists stand with binmen strikes

Members from Extinction Rebellion joined around 60 cleansing workers on the Western Depot picket line as they downed their tools in a campaign for better pay.

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

We took to the streets of the city to ask people what they think of the climate campaigners backing the bin workers. 

Chris Quirk, who is 60 and from Muirend, Glasgow said: “Extinction Rebellion are anarchists just out to cause disruption – they’ve jumped on the back of the bin strikes. I can understand the strikes but don’t like their backing. My own bin run has been reduced to fewer collections and now aren’t happening during the strikes. I don’t think it can get much worse: the city is a mess.”

Sally Rooney, who is 63 and from Erskine, said: “It’s not a job I’d fancy anyway… and I don’t know how much they get paid, to be honest. The fact that they were going on strike, then they had sorted it out, now they are on strike again – I just don’t see where they are coming from!”

Natasha Thorp, who is 19 and lives in the city centre, in Glasgow, said: “I agree with their strikes and the backing from Extinction Rebellion, but our bins are already filling up a bit. I don’t know what they’ll look like in a week’s time.”

Drew Haughy, 28, from Greenock, said: “Environmental rights and workers rights are tied together. It’s important that both are supported.”

READ MORE: MasterChef's Gary Maclean on food waste and Cop26

Thomas Shevlin, 23, from Clydebank said: “Yes I think it is good, but it’s going to cause more rats and they’re bad enough as it is. I suppose the bin strike needs to be done, because they need more money.”

 This article was written as part of a collaboration between The Glasgow Times and City of Glasgow College in which we are seeking to find and support the journalists of the future.