Strike hits homeless service in Glasgow

Staff from Glasgow council’s homeless unit have started an
indefinite strike, writes Nicola
Barry.

The 70 staff have taken with them the keys to 900 furnished
council flats, meaning homeless people will have to stay in bed and
breakfast accommodation.

The action follows a long-running dispute between staff who work
with homeless people and the council over plans to reform the
service.

The council wants to merge single person and family provision
with specialist assessment, resettlement and furnished
accommodation services.

A spokesperson for Unison said: “These changes will dilute
specialist services and overburden staff – precisely at a
time when homelessness in the city is rising rapidly.”

There are currently 70,000 homeless people in Scotland, and of
these 13,185 are in Glasgow.