Glasgow's Front-Line Workers
Here are some photos of the awful weather conditions Glasgow's front-line workers during the so-called 'Beast from the East' which forced much of the west of Scotland to grind to a halt at the end of February and into March 2018.
During those 3 days Glasgow City Council paid one part of the 'Council Family' triple time, for their efforts, but this arrangement did not apply to Cordia workers such as Home Carers who trudged through the heavy snow and treacherous underfoot conditions for hours to support their vulnerable clients.
Cordia staff were paid only their normal hourly rate of pay which seems more than a tad hypocritical, if you ask me.
So much for the bollix about being all part of the Glasgow Council Family!
A4ES, GMB and Unison are now being forced to raise separate claims on behalf of all the staff who are being treated as 'second class citizens' - and not for the first time.
Glasgow's Front-Line Workers (28/02/18)
The city's buses are still moving though there are a lot fewer vehicles on the streets which is not surprising in the conditions.
The City Council has announced that all schools and nurseries are closed which is a sensible decision, but spare a thought for the many council employees who are out there pounding the snow covered streets delivering essential, front-line services!
I take my hat off to all the Home Carers and others who are still at work looking after their clients and services users come hail, rain, wind and snow - as well as the occasional Arctic blizzard!
Glasgow's Front-Line Workers (01/03/18)
I shared my post about the City Council's Home Carers and other front-line workers with all Glasgow's MSPs and MPs - along with the following Twitter message:
Strangely enough, I didn't hear back from any of the Glasgow MSPs or MPs - not a single comment in support of what I said, not one 'Like' or 'Retweet' which I thought was rather strange I have to say.
Not least because Home Carers are one of the female dominated groups who have lost out and been treated as second class citizens by the council's WPBR 'unfit for purpose' pay scheme.
Not least because Home Carers are one of the female dominated groups who have lost out and been treated as second class citizens by the council's WPBR 'unfit for purpose' pay scheme.
I did hear from lots of regular readers though and the following two comments are typical of what people had to say.
A mixture of great pride in the job Home Carers do and an understandable anger at the shabby way some of Glasgow's lowest paid council's workers have been treated during their long fight for equal pay.
As I said yesterday, I take my hat off to them because when most other services are closing down, Glasgow's carers are out there looking after their clients and service users.
Hail rain or snow we will still look after our most vulnerable x
F
These are the women who are having to fight GCC for equal pay keep the city going looking after vulnerable people - hang your head in shame Glasgow City Council
A mixture of great pride in the job Home Carers do and an understandable anger at the shabby way some of Glasgow's lowest paid council's workers have been treated during their long fight for equal pay.
As I said yesterday, I take my hat off to them because when most other services are closing down, Glasgow's carers are out there looking after their clients and service users.
Hail rain or snow we will still look after our most vulnerable x
F
These are the women who are having to fight GCC for equal pay keep the city going looking after vulnerable people - hang your head in shame Glasgow City Council
C
Glasgow vs The Weather (01/03/18)
I ventured out on to the mean (Arctic) streets of Glasgow earlier today to pick up some essential provisions - snow shoes or cross-country skis would have been a big help!
First stop was Glasgow Green and it's true what they say in the East End - Glasgow's Green and White!
Glasgow's Green and White (2)
A Glasgow 'snowmobile' in The Barras
The evidence mounts for a kerbside refuse collection service in Glasgow
Essential services in Glasgow remain open despite the ghastly weather
It's an ill wind that blows nobody any good!
I take my hat off to all the Home Carers and other staff who are out working in these dreadful conditions!
People Make Glasgow (01/03/18)
Here are just a few of the Facebook comments from Home Care staff who are out pounding the streets of Glasgow, in dreadful weather conditions, looking after fellow citizens who are too frail or vulnerable to look after themselves.
Big shout out to all my carers and everyone who made it to there work to look after our most vulnerable, I was out with the girls last night and it was very scary the car was sliding all over the place but we had a wee laugh and just got on with it ,what a great team everyone mucked in and made sure we had everyone that needed us covered so thank you all and please be careful guys
<3 i="" xx="">
F
Other carers who where off asking us if needed help who stayed area x
R
My legs and feet are so sore, trying to plough through that snow x
My legs and feet are so sore, trying to plough through that snow x
M
Hours walking in this
K
K
To all our wonderful carers out there stay safe and thankyou for never ever forgetting our most vulnerable xxx our local heroes don’t were capes just uniforms xx
L
R
V
Get A Grip, Cordia! 2 ((02/03/18)
Well here's some encouraging news - a straightforward, uninhibited response from Cllr Elspeth Kerr who says she absolutely agrees that Cordia staff should not have to take annual leave or unpaid leave as a result of the recent Glasgow school shutdown.
Well said Elspeth!
All I can add is to say 'Good For You' for taking such a firm, no nonsense stand and I hope that you get full backing from the rest of your group on Monday!
Hi Mark
I absolutely agree that staff should not have to take time as holiday or unpaid or put themselves in danger getting to work. I am going to bring it up at our group meeting on Monday.
Kind regards
Cllr Elspeth Kerr
Ward 14 Drumchapel/Anniesland
Get A Grip, Cordia! (02/03/180
Here's an interesting message I received a short time ago via Twitter from a regular reader in Glasgow.
Mark
My mother in law is a janitor/cleaner for Cordia. She made it in on wed, didnt go in thurs as nursery was closed. Her line manager phoned her at home,demanding to know why she didnt turn up at nearest school. She told her she needs to take annual leave as a result.
K
Well my advice is not to agree to take annual leave or unpaid leave on a voluntary basis.
In the employee's shoes, I would advise the Cordia manager that I want to raise a grievance over their instruction as it seems unfair and unreasonable given the terrible weather conditions.
As well as being completely at odds to the way in which the Council's teaching staff are treated.
And you know what, reasonable people who read my blog seem to agree!
C
Exactly Mark could you imagine a teacher walking to school to sit in an empty classroom but our cleaners have been told to sit in a cold empty school honest you couldn't make it up x
F
What Are You Thinking, Cordia? (02/3/18)
I've heard several reports from Cordia staff employed in Glasgow's schools that during the terrible weather of the last couple of days they have still been instructed to turn up for work.
Now I can't really believe this because Glasgow City Council announced very early on Wednesday morning that all schools and nurseries would be closed out of concern for the safety of students, parents and staff.
So if all the schools and nurseries are closed, why in the name of God were school cleaners and so on not being advised to stay at home?
Even worse are stories of staff being instructed to either take annual leave or a day's unpaid leave if they are not prepared to turn up to work at an empty school - how foolish does that make Cordia look?
If anyone is penalised financially for not turning up at work when their school is closed, please let me know - in confidence, of course.
Can anyone imagine a school teacher being treated in this way?
Of course not, so why should other staff put up with such nonsense.
Calling Glasgow! (02/03/18)
I have just sent this email to all elected councillors in Glasgow given the comments I've read on Facebook and Twitter.
If readers have examples of non-teaching staff being told to turn up for work to empty schools and nurseries when all Glasgow's schools and nurseries have been closed, let me have the details - in confidence, of course.
Likewise if staff have been told to take annual leave or unpaid leave - which amounts to a ridiculous and completely unreasonable punishment, if you ask me.
Dear Councillor
Glasgow's Schools
I thought you would be interested in the following post from my blog site regarding the very different ways in which teaching and other support staff are being treated in Glasgow's school during the terrible weather conditions of the past few days.
I will be posting again on my blog later today in response to comments from readers via the blog site, email, Facebook and Twitter: www.action4equalityscotland.blogspot.com
Kind regards
Mark Irvine
What Are You Thinking, Cordia? (02/03/18)
I've heard several reports from Cordia staff employed in Glasgow's schools that during the terrible weather of the last couple of days they have still been instructed to turn up for work.
Now I can't really believe this because Glasgow City Council announced very early on Wednesday morning that all schools and nurseries would be closed out of concern for the safety of students, parents and staff.
So if all the schools and nurseries are closed, why in the name of God were school cleaners and so on not being advised to stay at home?
Even worse are stories of staff being instructed to either take annual leave or a day's unpaid leave if they are not prepared to turn up to work at an empty school - how foolish does that make Cordia look?
If anyone is penalised financially for not turning up at work when their school is closed, please let me know - in confidence, of course.
Can anyone imagine a school teacher being treated in this way?
Of course not, so why should other staff put up with such nonsense.
