Glasgow City Council plans to dismiss and rehire about 23,000 non-teaching workers as part of an effort to resolve a long-standing equal pay dispute with unions. The council's communications director stated they are not taking this decision lightly but argued it is necessary due to union disagreements over a new pay system aimed at ending discriminatory practices. He urged the unions to negotiate further to avoid these drastic measures, emphasizing that reversing the decision remains possible if an agreement can be reached.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-09-25,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
In October 2023, the Glasgow City Council planned to fire and rehire 23,000 non-teaching staff under new contracts to address a long-standing equal pay dispute. The unions protested this move, calling it "utterly immoral" and "shockingly deplorable." Following backlash and an intervention from Deputy First Minister Jenny Gilruth, the council announced on Friday that it had paused the controversial plan, allowing further negotiations with unions Unite, Unison, and GMB to take place. Workforce convener Councillor Allan Casey expressed relief at reaching a position where Acas could re-engage in discussions to secure a fair pay structure for the future. Scottish Labour leader Michael Marra urged delegates to condemn the decision, stating that fire and rehire is an "abhorrent" way to treat workers.
Written for “Glasgow Fire And Rehire Dispute” on 2026-10-05,
grounded in this article and the 7 other(s) covering the same event.
The communications and governance director said it was not too late to reverse the decision as he urged unions to get around the table.
asserted
he → say → table
Letters will be sent to non-teaching staff next week with new contracts taking effect from January 1.
asserted
contracts → send → January
The council has been in negotiations with unions over its plans to implement a new pay and grading system after the previous one was found to discriminate mostly against female workers.
asserted
one → implement → workers
Speaking to the Press Association at George Square, Mr Edgar said the council did not take the decision lightly.
asserted
council → speak → decision
“It’s extremely difficult,” he said.
asserted
he → ’ → ?
“It’s a hellish situation and nobody wants to do this.
asserted
nobody → ’ → this
In the past, when Glasgow City Council has dismissed (workers) and re-engaged them, we have not done it lightly, and we haven’t taken this decision lightly.
asserted
we → dismiss → decision
“We absolutely do not want to do this.
asserted
We → want → this
“One of them was not, and it’s really important that we get back around the table and agree what to do.”
asserted
we → ’ → what
He added: “The senior leadership of the council and the politicians who are working to remove our discriminatory pay rating scheme feel sick about having to do this.”
asserted
who → add → this
Asked whether strikes were possible, Mr Edgar said he could not “predict” what trade unions would do but said he “understands how upset they are and why they are so upset”.
uncertain
they → ask → what
Mr Edgar urged unions to get “back round the table” with the council to avoid the fire and rehire plans.
asserted
Edgar → urge → plans
Asked if he blamed Unison for the situation facing workers, he said: “Yes.”
asserted
he → ask → workers
On Thursday, Glasgow City Council said that talks to resolve a long-running equal pay dispute with the Unite, GMB and Unison unions had broken down.
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talks → say → unions
It said that in order to end the current pay arrangements, all non-teaching staff would be dismissed and rehired under new contracts, which would take effect from January 1.
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which → say → January
Mr Edgar said this move was in response to Unison refusing to ballot its members on a new offer.
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Unison → say → offer
However, Unison has said it will “ballot its members on an offer once discussions have concluded” and argued that staff must not be “bounced into a shoddy deal”.
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staff → say → deal
Mr Edgar said that without agreement from Unison, Unite and GMB, fire and rehire was the only way forward.
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fire → say → Unison
“What that has meant is we have no option but to dismiss and re-engage our staff,” he said.
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he → mean → staff
But he added: “There is absolutely time to reverse this.
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he → add → this
If we can get back around the table, if we can get collective agreement from our three unions then the council will withdraw these dismissal notices.”
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council → get → notices
Sylvia Haughney, Glasgow education convener at Unison, said the council’s claims that it was to blame for the situation were “misleading” and “false”.
uncertain
it → say → situation
She told the PA news agency: “Glasgow City Council have put themselves in this position about fire and rehire.
“They do not need to do that.
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They → tell → that
That’s their choice to do it, and it’s just shocking and disgraceful that they have decided to do that to over 23,000 employees.
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they → ’ → employees
“That’s just utterly deplorable for a council to do that, and that was absolutely their choice to do it.”
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that → ’ → it
She said the policy of fire and rehire was “utterly immoral”, “shockingly deplorable” and that most of the staff receiving pay cuts were women.
Ms Haughney said the council was offering workers a “shoddy deal”, adding: “This deal does not address the detriment to what our members are facing.
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members → say → what
“We can’t put that ballot to our members until we get a better offer, a better proposal for those who are facing detriment.
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who → put → detriment
“We are willing to meet with the council to discuss further offers that they could put in place, and we will ballot our members, but not until we get a better offer.”
uncertain
we → meet → offer
Justice Secretary Neil Gray has urged the council and the unions to “get around the table”.
asserted
Gray → urge → table
Unite industrial officer Graham McNabb said: “Glasgow City Council must remove direct threats to our membership in its proposed new pay and grading structure whether it is through cuts to terms and conditions, or the scandalous threat of fire and rehire tactics.
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it → say → tactics
“If they go down this reckless path then it will be met with the full force of Unite.”
asserted
it → go → Unite
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