Glasgow strike builds momentum

Pupil Support Assistants (PSA) staff organised by Glasgow City Unison took a third day of industrial action on 14 November.

This was in their dispute with the Labour council over changes to conditions, including being forced to carry out medical duties.

1,000 workers took strike action across the city on 31 October. This was followed with a one-day strike in schools in the north east of the city and on 14 November southside schools had large picket lines.

The union branch has rallied hundreds of chanting workers outside the council on each strike day.

Unison strikers were joined by 150 members of the GMB at the rally on 14 November. Other Unison members in the schools, including janitors and admin staff refused to cross PSA picket lines.

PSA workers in the north west of the city were on strike on 19 November. The feeling of members is that action should be organised city-wide, if the Labour council continue to be intransigent.

Strikers at Hazelwood School in Bellahousten told the Socialist: “Our action has put huge pressure on the council and we are now circulating a petition to parents. We are not intimidated by the threatening letters from council managers.”

The strike has mobilised anger over a whole number of issues and has given the mainly female workforce a chance to fight back against an administration which has implemented £200 million of cuts.

Glasgow Unison education convenor Carol Ball, speaking at the rally, highlighted the impressive participation of workers in the dispute, with the members’ mass meeting being jam-packed.

The rally also heard from Unison branch secretary and Socialist Party Scotland member Brian Smith who pledged the branch’s complete and continued support for further action.

Strikers from Bellahousten and Govanhill schools also spoke, reporting on the solidity of the strike action and giving graphic examples of the dangers to Glasgow’s children if the council’s agenda is implemented.