Glasgow SNP Councillors today signalled their determination to defend the status, pay and working conditions of employees in Glasgow City Council's Land and Environment and Direct and Care Services.

Glasgow City Council's Executive Committee today voted to proceed with rushed reviews that will see up to 10,500 council employees transferred to Arms Length External Organisations (ALEOs), voting against an SNP amendment to delay the decision for further scrutiny.  After today's decision the SNP will consider their next steps.

SNP Group Leader, Councillor John Mason said after the meeting: "The decision today by Labour to press on with the proposal to hive off thousands of workers in the Direct and Care Services and Land and Environment Services departments places uncertainty over the long-term future of pay and conditions for staff in these areas.

"Since this news broke last week we have been working to establish what the decision to press ahead with creating yet more Limited Liability Partnership companies and so-called Arms Length External Organisations to deliver public services in Glasgow will mean for both the Council and our workforce.

"The SNP is deeply concerned about the potential risks to the pay and conditions of workers in these areas  and we will do all we can to ensure that any changes to the way these services are provided does not have a negative impact on the good quality, hard working staff who provide vital services to the people of Glasgow.

Notes:

1. Today's Executive Committee papers (Agenda Items 5 and 6) relate to the future provision of services by the "Significant Trading Organisations" in Direct and Care Services as well as Land and Environment Services.  On both items, the Labour administration voted down SNP amendments for further scrutiny at the relevant Policy Development and Scrutiny Committees of the Council.
2. Around 10,500 Glasgow City Council workers were notified by post last week of the decision to potentially transfer their jobs to ALEOs; this figure represents around one third of the total workforce of Glasgow City Council.