Clyde Tunnel could close after workers vote to strike

One of Scotland's busiest roads could be forced to close due to strike action by control room workers.

The team in the Clyde Tunnel control room at Whiteinch monitor cameras, control ventilation and respond to breakdowns and emergencies on the road.

The GMB union - which represents most of the workers - previously rejected a 3% pay rise from council umbrella body Cosla, and called on the Scottish government to provide councils with extra funding.

The union said the proposed strike is the first step in a campaign of action aimed at securing an improved pay offer of 6.5%.

Keir Greenaway, GMB Scotland's senior organiser in public services, said council staff were tired of being treated as "the poor relations in our public services."

He added: "Council workers have again been forced to fight for fair pay while watching others in the public sector, NHS Scotland, for example, being made acceptable offers.

"The team at the Clyde Tunnel keep Scotland's biggest city moving - only one example of the essential services delivered by our members.

"Without their expertise and experience, one of the country's most important roads could close with untold disruption."

Council pay is negotiated nationally between unions and Cosla.

GMB Scotland have called for a 6.5% pay increase instead of the proposed 3%, saying it would work out as the equivalent of a £1 an hour rise.

A spokesperson for Cosla said the body was disappointed by the move to industrial action, and that there "remains a gap between what local government can fund from its own resources and union aspirations."

A spokesman for Glasgow City Council said the local authority was aware of the ballot result but had not received formal notification of the industrial action.

"The ballot was held in relation to the national pay negotiations for local authorities, which are managed at a national level through COSLA," he said.

A Scottish government spokesperson said it did not have a formal role in the negotiations.

"We urge all parties involved to work together constructively and reach an agreement which is fair for the workforce and affordable for employers," they said.

An estimated 65,000 cars, vans and lorries use the Clyde Tunnel every weekday.