The Home Care service in Glasgow will be affected by strike action unless a deal is reached over “unsustainable” staffing levels.

The union said the service is at risk of severe disruption if industrial action by co-ordinators goes ahead unless severe staffing issues are resolved.

Thousands of people in the city rely on visits from home carers on a daily basis, some multiple times a day.

The union said co-ordinators of the service are demoralised and working unpaid hours and on days off, keep the service functioning.

GMB union said it has served notice on the council of a ballot on industrial action of around 100 co-ordinators responsible for keeping the service running.

The Health and Social Care Partnership said it has plans in place to keep any disruption to a minimum in the event of a strike.

The co-ordinators manage around 2500 home carers across the city dealing with around 6000 clients.

The union said that staff are working several hours of unpaid work every week and it has now become untenable.

They said there is no spare capacity in the system and issues like staff sick absences leave co-ordinators scrambling to find cover.

People discharged from hospital on a daily basis require to be scheduled for visits but the union said a lack of available staff means existing clients are having visits cut short to cope with the extra work.

A source said it is like an air traffic control centre it is so busy.

The union said the only way co-ordinators cope is by working extra hours, unpaid which they said has become normalised and expected.

John Slaven, organiser, said Glasgow City Council is in denial about the institutionalised unpaid work that’s been going on for years, impossible workloads, and overwhelming stress.

He added: “This has got to change.”

Frances Stojilkovic, equalities convenor, said: “We have been fighting this for years.

“It has come to the point where we have no other option to consider strike action.

"Stress levels are now horrendous. We need additional co-ordinators to keep up with the work load.

“This is a last resort but we have not been listened to.”

A spokesperson for Glasgow’s Health and Social Care Partnership said: “We are aware of this and are fully engaged in dialogue with the Trade Union.

“The Home Care management team are leading on a programme of staff engagement to address concerns and GMB colleagues have been asked to continue to engage in dialogue but have yet to respond.

“We have contingency plans in place to ensure minimum disruption to both non-striking staff and our residents.”