Glasgow City Council is under fire after shelving controversial plans that would have seen thousands of workers dismissed and rehired on new contracts, with politicians and trade unions rounding on the local authority over the handling of the situation.
Michael Marra, Scottish Labour’s economy spokesperson, has been among the most vocal critics, condemning the council for even entertaining the idea of using fire and rehire tactics against its own workforce. The practice, widely criticised across the political spectrum, involves employers terminating staff contracts and offering them new ones, often on worse terms and conditions.
The council had been exploring changes to working arrangements for a significant number of employees before the plans were put on hold following pushback from unions. But for many, the damage to trust has already been done.
“This was a completely unacceptable way to treat workers,” Marra said, making clear that simply shelving the plans was not enough and that the council needed to do far better by its staff.
Three trade unions representing the affected workers are now in discussions with Glasgow City Council, with further talks expected to take place next week in a bid to find a resolution that works for everyone involved. The unions have been pushing back hard against any proposals that would leave their members worse off, and the pressure appears to have forced the council to pause and reconsider.
Glasgow City Council is the largest local authority in Scotland, employing tens of thousands of people across a huge range of public services, from education and social care to transport and waste collection. Any mass changes to employment contracts would have had a significant impact on workers and their families across the city.
The fire and rehire approach became particularly controversial during the pandemic years, when several high profile companies used the tactic to cut costs at a time when workers had little bargaining power. Calls have grown since then for stronger legal protections to prevent employers from using it as a negotiating weapon.
For a council that positions itself as a progressive employer and a supporter of workers’ rights, the suggestion that it was considering the same approach has proven deeply damaging. Critics argue it sends completely the wrong message, particularly at a time when public sector workers across Scotland are already dealing with real terms pay pressures and stretched working conditions.
The unions involved have not yet commented publicly on what specific changes the council was seeking to push through, but sources close to the talks suggest the dispute centres on working hours and contractual terms for a large group of employees.
With talks continuing next week, both sides will be under pressure to reach an agreement that avoids any further escalation. A prolonged dispute at Glasgow City Council would be politically embarrassing for the authority and could lead to industrial action if workers feel their concerns are not being taken seriously.
For now, all eyes will be on those negotiations and whether the council can rebuild some of the trust it has lost with its own workforce over the past few weeks.