As we reach the end of day six of the current bin strikes, we take a look back to 1975 when dustbin workers went on strike for 13 weeks, prompting the army to step in and clear city streets.
Around 350 workers went on unofficial strike in January of 1975 which led to a build-up of rubbish in backcourts, alleys and common closes.
Industrial action was alarmingly common throughout the 1970s. Refuse collectors had previously been locked in disputes with the Glasgow Corporation over pay following strikes in 1973 and in the autumn of 1974.
READ MORE: The rubbish strikes of Glasgow in the 1970s
In March 1975, the British Army was called in to clear thousands of tonnes of rubbish swamping the streets of Glasgow during the dustcart drivers' strike. It was the first time that the military was used in an industrial dispute in 25 years – and this one was kicking up an almighty stink in the city.
As weeks went by and rubbish remained uncollected, a foul stench filled the air and rats swarmed the filthy streets where children played. Dead pets were dumped outside the shut-off waste depot in Maryhill.
Around a thousand tonnes a day was being dumped across the city – fuelling fears at Westminster over a "serious epidemic" of civic waste building up.
As rubbish-dumping reached crisis level, the Labour government was forced to deploy 1,500 troops to Glasgow on March 19 to tackle the 70,000 tons of rotting waste.
Glasgow mum-of-five Mrs Burns told a news reporter at the time (via Youtube): "It really is terrible. Right along the whole scheme it's the same. People are getting people 'round to dump it over somewhere else. Kids are burning it over in the spare bit of ground.
"The smell is atrocious. We've already got the rats starting to get into our houses. That's one thing we don't want. Even the flies are going mad."
News channels covering the army's intervention have since been criticised for their coverage, as many say they focused more on the health concerns rather than giving a voice to those undertaking industrial action.
Dustcart drivers were earning a basic wage of £32.50, with bonus and 10-hours overtime, while the minimal wage for a Heavy Goods Vehicle driver in the private sector was £37, according to the Glasgow University Media Group.
Army troops were paid an extra 50p per day for the gruelling job, which attracted plenty of media attention. Soldiers were filmed battling with the rodents who had made the messy Glasgow streets their homes, some even holding their defeated opponent up for cameras to film.
The army managed to clear 39,000 tons of rubbish before the dustmen ended the strike and returned to work on April 14.
Do you remember the rubbish strikes in Glasgow in the 1970s? Let us know in the comments.
READ NEXT:
* Glasgow bin strikes could be 'risk to human health' as crisis deepens
* The riotous 1890 Glasgow rail strike that brought Scotland to a standstill
* Glasgow's 'Ten Pound Poms' who ended up stuck aboard ship due to 1957 strikes
* Katie Archibald 'feels less alone' as fans share words of comfort after Rab Wardell death in Glasgow
* Six Glasgow streets get potholes resurfaced after councillor calls for action
