JANITORS and cleaners from secondary schools gathered at George Square today to demand better pay.

As we previously reported, GMB Scotland said it is increasingly likely that school janitors and cleaners will strike next Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.

The warning came following more than six months of negotiations with employer Amey over pay and conditions.

The union recently rejected a revised pay offer, claiming it was too little too late. 

READ MORE: Glasgow schools could close as janitor and cleaner pay talks stall

As a last minute effort to reach common ground, they rallied today at George Square with signs saying 'Pay Up For Key Workers'.

The crowd chanted 'Fair pay for Amey workers' and 'Amey, pay up'.

Neil Cruickshank, janitor at St Mungo's Academy, said: "We are asking for a decent pay for a decent job.

"We kept every school open through the pandemic.

"Janitors and cleaners opened the schools for essential workers' kids and vulnerable kids.

"We are not asking for the earth, just a decent pay rise.

"We don't want to go on strike, it is not fair on parents, kids and other staff, so we are hoping a deal will be struck."

Jacqueline O'Kane, a cleaner at St Margaret Mary's in Castlemilk, said: "We have been underpaid for years.

"The company doesn't really respect us, we are just looking for more money and we deserve it.

"The teachers and other staff seem to be supportive of us, it helps that they understand."

Speakers at the rally emphasised that cleaning staff are 'Covid heroes' and deserve better pay than what they currently receive.

In her speech, Susan Quinn, Local Assossiation Secretary of Glasgow EIS, teaching union said: "Without our cleaners and janitors, we couldn't possibly meet the health and safety standards we need to keep our schools open."

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Jennifer McCarey, chairwoman of Glasgow Trades Council, the collective body of trade unions in the city also spoke up.

She handed in a letter to Glasgow City Council leader Susan Aitken, detailing that, should the strikes go ahead, the absence of cleaning staff could jeopardise pupils' well-being.

She said: "There is a school community here, who are very concerned about the health and safety of staff and health, safety and security of the children."

GMB Organiser John Slaven said: "We put in for a very reasonable and moderate pay claim, that is comperable with other workers in COSLA.

"For eight months, we had an employer who doesn't want to negotiate with us. Through absolute desperation, we had no alternative but to go to ballot and 96% voted to take strike action."

A spokesperson from Amey, which runs services under a PFI contract from Glasgow City Council, said: “Amey is extremely disappointed by the vote outcome.

"We put a high value on the work carried out by our Glasgow school employees and a significantly increased offer was made through the GMB at the end of November. This is in line with the COSLA offer made to Council workers and is above the Real Living Wage.

“We will continue to work with the GMB and our employees to try reach a resolution. We also have contingency plans in place to minimise the impact in the event of industrial action, and to ensure teaching and learning across the region is not affected.

“Amey is committed to our employees and the local communities we serve. Our latest offer came on top of a pay increase last year for our employees in Glasgow schools and we have also enhanced employee benefits. These include raising annual leave entitlement by four days, increasing sick pay benefits, offering enhanced life assurance and providing staff with an annual personal day away from work.”