Glasgow City Council to fire and rehire over 23,000 employees, tell me about this news in (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c6x2z7xwrwy4o)
24-09-2026
Glasgow City Council has announced plans to issue dismissal notices to between 23,000 and 25,000 non-teaching staff, with the intention of immediately rehiring them on new contracts starting January 1.
Here are the key details of the development:
Reason for the move: The council is restructuring its pay and grading system to replace historical arrangements that led to massive, long-running equal pay disputes dating back to 2006 (which have already cost the council around £770m in settlements). The council plans to introduce a new, non-discriminatory pay scheme by April 2027.
Breakdown of talks: An improved offerwhich included an extra £110 million for back payrequired all three major trade unions to ballot their members. While GMB and Unite agreed to consult their memberships, Unison withdrew its backing. Because collective agreement could not be reached across all unions, the council triggered the dismissal and re-engagement process.
Who is affected: The notices will go out to virtually all non-teaching employees, ranging from street cleaners and care workers to senior council leaders and the chief executive.
Impact on pay: Under the planned grading framework, an estimated 63% of the workforce is expected to receive a pay rise, while roughly 11% face pay cuts (disproportionately affecting higher pay grades, with some reductions reaching up to £11,500 annually).
Reactions:
The Council: Stated that it had exhausted negotiations and described the move as a necessary measure to lawfully overhaul the pay system. Council officials noted that if unions agree to ballot members on the enhanced terms and reach an agreement, the dismissal notices will be withdrawn.
Unions and Opposition: The move has drawn sharp backlash. Glasgow Labour described the potential action as one of the largest fire-and-rehire exercises in history, urging the council administration to withdraw dismissal threats and bring in ACAS to mediate.