SCOTLAND is facing widespread industrial action and protests during COP26, with potential disruption to bin collections and public transport.
We previously told how bus services across Scotland are facing significant disruption after Stagecoach workers voted to strike in a dispute over pay and conditions.
Workers involved in the pay dispute include drivers, engineering staff, administrative staff and cleaners, and will impact major bus depots across the country.
The disruption will likely hit during the COP26 summit, which is set to be held in Glasgow between 31 October and 12 November.
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ScotRail engineers are also planning strike action which they say is likely to disrupt travel to the climate conference, with Unite saying workers have been left with no choice by Abellio management’s failure to make a meaningful pay offer despite repeated action short of a strike since 24 September.
Train services across Scotland have not been running on Sunday’s since the action began.
Workers plan to make 24-hour stoppages on 1-2, 10-11, and 12-13 November, impacting key stations such as Glasgow Queen Street, Glasgow Central and Edinburgh Waverly.
And now, the climate change talks could be facing further disruption as GMB members are reportedly preparing for a possible strike, unless Cosla agrees to better pay terms by the end of this week.
Any action taken by cleansing workers is likely to be during the climate summit, reports say.
The SEC campus will host the climate conference between 31 October and 12 November
Chris Mitchell, a convener of the GMB union, described Cosla’s latest pay offer for cleansing workers as a “kick in the teeth”.
He told The Times newspaper: “Glasgow is preparing to host one of the biggest and most important events in history.
“But in the background battle plans are being drawn up with possible strike action looming.”
SNP ministers are reportedly concerned that many people are not prepared for the extent of the disruption facing Glasgow during the talks.
The city is set to host more than a hundred world leaders, tens of thousands of delegates and observers, and will have a significant number of roads closed around the SEC campus due to the conference, as well as potential action from environmental activists disrupting traffic.
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One told The Times newspaper: “This is the first time a conference of this size has been held in the heart of any UK city and there is a concern that the scale of potential disruption is bigger than had been anticipated.”
Extinction Rebellion activists have already warned ministers to be “very worried” by their campaign of targetted disruption and direct action during COP26.
The environmental group will be hoping to capture global headlines and put the UK Government under the spotlight, as they say Ministers are not taking the climate crisis seriously.
The Scottish Greens have said they "sympathise" with climate activists set to take action
It comes as Home Secretary Priti Patel is set to bring in new powers in her policing bill to crack down on protestors and allow police to jail them.
We exclusively told how Scottish Greens co-leader Patrick Harvie said there is “no appetite” for similar legislation in Scotland.
Fellow co-leader Lorna Slater said she sympathises with protestors who are angry that governments - like the UK - are “not doing enough” to tackle the climate crisis.
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