Glasgow’s streets and houses are being overrun by 1.3 million rats, a trade union leader has said.
Chris Mitchell, of the GMB union which represents the city’s cleansing staff, said workers were facing rat attacks on a daily basis.
The union representative flatly contradicted city council leader Susan Aitken’s claim that there was no particular panic about the rodent population in the run-up to COP26 climate conference in Glasgow.
Mitchell spoke out after Aitken, the leader of the SNP-controlled council, dismissed the increase in the rodent population as one or two incidents of “very minor contact with a rat”.
Council workers across Scotland are set to take industrial action over low pay next month, led by the Glasgow cleansing staff who have seen cuts in the council’s refuse collection have a direct effect.
Mitchell told Good Morning Scotland: “My concern is that there are 1.3 million rats in Glasgow and it is only getting worse.
"Our members are coming across rats every single day, people walking about the streets are seeing rats in back gardens and going into houses, they are absolutely everywhere.”
"But the first line of defence is environmental health and cleansing and if you continue to cut these services there will be an increase.”
Trade unions representing staff have now notified local government body Cosla that they will take industrial action over the period November 8 to 12
The strike comes in the middle the United Nations COP26 climate change summit in Glasgow, with the area one of those that will be hit by the action.
Refuse and recycling workers will be out on strike, along with school cleaners, janitors and catering staff adding to the disruption caused by the international climate summit.
Mitchell was unapologetic about taking strike action during the climate conference.
He said: “Cosla has had 14 months to resolve this issue. We’ve been pushed into a corner and we have come out fighting.”
He also said trade unions were ready to accept an invitation from climate activist Greta Thunberg for Glasgow workers who plan on striking during COP26 to join her in a protest march through the city on November 5.
The Swedish activist wrote on Twitter that she would take part in the Climate Strike march from Kelvingrove Park to George Square.
Mitchell said: “I’ve been invited to speak at the rally. At the end of the day, everybody should be out fighting this. People have had enough, low paid workers have had enough. This pay rise affects everybody and I would expect everybody to stand with us.”
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