Key Points
- Glasgow City Council paused its controversial plan to issue dismissal notices to between 23,000 and 25,000 non-teaching employees following emergency intervention by the Scottish Government.
- The local authority had intended to send out statutory notice letters next week to enforce a new pay and grading structure after negotiations with trade unions collapsed.
- Under the proposed restructuring designed to settle a long-standing equal pay dispute, 63% of affected staff were in line for a pay rise, while 11% faced salary cuts of up to 11,500 pounds annually.
- Trade unions Unite and GMB had expressed willingness to ballot their members on an improved Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (ACAS) package, but Unison withdrew from the process, citing unresolved financial detriment for affected members.
- Following online talks chaired by Deputy First Minister Jenny Gilruth on Friday, all parties agreed to suspend the dismissal process to allow intensive negotiations to resume early next week.
Glasgow (Glasgow Express) September 26, 2026 — Glasgow City Council has temporarily halted its controversial plans to dismiss and rehire up to 25,000 non-teaching workers following high-level intervention by the Scottish Government and a severe backlash from trade unions. The local authority had originally prepared to issue formal section 188 dismissal notices to its entire non-teaching workforce—ranging from administrative personnel and nursery staff to refuse collectors and chief executive Susanne Millar—after negotiations over a landmark pay and grading structure broke down.
Why Did Glasgow City Council Threaten Mass Dismissals?
As reported by Andrew Learmonth, Political Editor of The Herald, the local authority intended to issue the dismissal letters to enforce a new pay and grading framework intended to resolve equal pay liabilities stretching back to 2006. Previous discriminatory pay arrangements had already cost the city approximately 770 million pounds in historical legal settlements.
The newly proposed framework aimed to establish a non-compliant-free structure by April 2027. According to figures presented by council officials, approximately 63% of the workforce stood to gain financially under the system, and roughly 90% would either receive an increase or see no change. However, about 11% of employees faced reductions in pay, with senior and higher-graded staff—including social work team leaders and managers—absorbing cuts of up to 11,500 pounds a year.
Negotiations stalled when trade unions split over an improved ACAS package that included a substantial cash injection for back pay. As reported by Drew Sandelands, Local Democracy Reporter for Glasgow Live, GMB and Unite were prepared to present the deal to their memberships, but Unison withdrew from the ballot process. Consequently, council director of communications and governance Colin Edgar stated that the authority had “gone as far as it can” and had no lawful alternative but to end existing pay arrangements through mass dismissal and re-engagement.
How Did Trade Unions and Politicians Respond to the Fire and Rehire Strategy?
The announcement triggered intense criticism from labor organizations and political figures across Scotland. Unison Scotland branded the move a “scandalous threat”, while Sylvia Haughney, Unison Glasgow education convener, rejected accusations that her union was solely responsible for the collapse in talks.
As quoted by The Herald, Sylvia Haughney stated that:
“Glasgow City Council have put themselves in this position about fire and rehire. They do not need to do 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.”
Sylvia Haughney added:
“This deal does not address the detriment to what our members are facing. We cannot put that ballot to our members until we get a better offer, a better proposal for those who are facing detriment.”
Meanwhile, David Hume, GMB organiser at Glasgow City Council, welcomed the subsequent reversal. As reported by Glasgow Live, David Hume noted:
“The threat of fire and rehire should never have been made in the first place. The council had a choice to make and made the wrong one. Having said that, we welcome its willingness to quickly review and reverse that decision and put the pay proposals back on the table.”
Political leaders also weighed heavily into the dispute before the pause was announced. Scottish Labour Leader Michael Marra condemned the council’s strategy as “despicable” and argued that attempting to rush through fire and rehire procedures violated the spirit of forthcoming national employment legislation. Similarly, Glasgow Labour leader Councillor Rashid Hussain labeled the proposal potentially “the biggest fire and rehire in history”.
What Led to the Sudden Policy Pause on Friday?
The escalation prompted direct intervention from the Scottish Government. Deputy First Minister Jenny Gilruth chaired emergency online discussions on Friday afternoon between council representatives and the GMB, Unite, and Unison unions.
Following the constructive talks, Deputy First Minister Jenny Gilruth stated:
“I am pleased that Glasgow City Council has agreed to pause the process of dismissing staff so that all partners can get back around the table for intensive negotiations to focus on bringing a resolution to this dispute.”
Jenny Gilruth further emphasized:
“The Scottish Government opposes the inappropriate use of ‘fire and rehire’ and our position is that such a practice does not align with the principles and expected practice of fair work.”
Councillor Allan Casey, the SNP convener for workforce at Glasgow City Council, confirmed the temporary halt. As covered by Glasgow Live, Councillor Allan Casey stated:
“I’m pleased that we’ve reached a position following a meeting with the Scottish Government and the three unions where a pause has been agreed, allowing the ACAS package to be put back on the table and creating the space for further intensive negotiations with the joint trade unions.”
Background of the Particular Development
The controversy surrounding Glasgow City Council centers on a structural pay overhaul designed to correct systemic gender pay inequalities originating from the Workforce Pay and Benefits Review (WPBR) introduced in 2006. Decades of legal challenges regarding unequal pay between male-dominated manual roles and female-dominated care, catering, and administrative roles have plagued the local authority, accumulating hundreds of millions of pounds in historical compensation claims.
To comply with modern equal pay legislation and finalize a permanent non-discriminatory grading system, the council approved a new operational framework in August 2026. Because implementing this framework required altering contractual terms and conditions across thousands of employees—resulting in pay raises for the majority but wage decreases for an affected minority—negotiations with trade unions Unison, GMB, and Unite extended across several years. The deadlock intensified when the council attempted to utilize dismissal and re-engagement mechanisms to implement the pay structure before upcoming nationwide restrictions on fire and rehire practices take effect.
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Prediction on How This Development Can Affect the Affected Audience
The temporary pause and upcoming intensive negotiations directly impact the roughly 25,000 non-teaching council employees in Glasgow, whose immediate job security and long-term take-home pay hang in the balance. For the 63% of workers in line for pay increases and back pay, the resumption of talks offers a hopeful path toward securing financial improvements without the anxiety of forced contract terminations.
Conversely, for the 11% of staff facing wage reductions of up to 11,500 pounds annually, the upcoming negotiations represent a critical window to secure enhanced transitional protection or mitigated losses. Furthermore, because national employment reforms set to arrive in January will severely restrict unilateral fire and rehire practices, the outcome of next week’s discussions will establish a vital precedent for how public sector employers across Scotland navigate large-scale workforce restructuring and equal pay compliance under tighter legal parameters.
