Binmen in Glasgow 'struggling to provide service' during Omicron outbreak

The GMB, the union which represents some of the binmen, has described the problem as “rife” but Glasgow City Council insists that there is only a “small number” of Covid cases among the workforce. 

Absences have caused collections to be disrupted across the city with council bosses previously admitting there is currently a delay to the service.

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The shortage of staff has led the union to call for regular Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing to be brought into the cleansing department in a bid to prevent any future outbreaks.

Unlike rapid lateral flow tests (LFT) - which can be taken at home and produce results within minutes - PCR swabs are sent away to labs to diagnose the virus. 

LFTs can diagnose Covid-19 on the spot but aren’t as accurate as PCR tests.

Chris Mitchell, GMB branch convener, said: “The spread of Covid-19 in the cleansing department is getting out of control. 

“It’s so rife we are struggling to provide a service and if this continues, there will be no doubt it will vital services will have to be suspended.

“The problem we have as a union is that the council are not testing the workforce like many other key workers on a regular basis. It is shocking they are putting my members and their families at risk.

“Now, the city will face a bigger challenge if the rubbish is not getting collected on time.

“The Scottish Government must intervene and instruct the council to start mass testing.”

Chris Mitchell, GMB

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Enhanced testing is carried out within the local authority’s home care and care home departments due to the nature of work in providing direct, personal assistance for vulnerable clients and patients.

The policy reflects national guidelines - which recommend care workers should take regular PCR and LFT tests. 

Currently, cleansing employees are advised to take LFTs on a regular basis to prevent any transmission of coronavirus. 

A council spokesperson said: “Throughout the pandemic, the health and safety of staff has been an absolute priority.

“We are working closely with trade union colleagues at co-chaired working groups to look at what needs to be done to protect staff from the spread of the virus in the workplace.

“Over the course of the pandemic we have developed a wide range of measures designed to minimise the spread of Covid in the workplace and these will be implemented rapidly wherever necessary. Staff are also encouraged to follow the Scottish Government guidelines on Covid, an element of which covers testing.

“Minimising the risk to staff while they are at their work is entirely in keeping with ensuring the delivery of essential services.

“We are currently dealing with a small number of Covid cases within the Cleansing team but staff absence rates are currently higher than normal due to other factors.”

Meanwhile - as refuse collections are disrupted - council chiefs hope to have services reinstated to a normal routine in the coming days.

The spokesperson added: “We are currently experiencing delays in refuse collection for household waste due to staff absence, combined with catching up on public holidays workload and dealing with the additional waste generated during the festive period.  

“We are striving to catch up with collections in the coming days.”

The union’s calls come as Scotland faces a national shortage of PCR tests during the outbreak of the Omicron variant. 

We told yesterday how residents struggling to book tests were advised that the only available appointments were in Kirkcaldy, Moffatt or Peebles. 

The UK Government website also showed that there were “no available appointments” at walk-through centres across the city. 

A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “Our testing system is one of the best in the world, but has faced significant pressure as case numbers continue to rise due to the Omicron variant.

“Some people may have to wait a little bit longer than they normally would have pre-Omicron for a test. They should keep trying because new slots become available on the website, on the booking portal, throughout the day.

“We’ve prioritised essential workers for on-site appointments, as well as those at highest risk and eligible for new treatments. 

“The number of PCR test slots available has already been expanded during December and additional lab capacity has also been provided to meet this unprecedented demand.”