Glasgow’s motorists are facing traffic chaos a potential strikes could close the Clyde Tunnel. The team controlling the tunnel are to be balloted on industrial action after a national pay offer was overwhelmingly rejected. Over 60,000 drivers use the tunnel every day.

Keir Greenaway, GMB Scotland senior organiser in public services, said: “The workers at the Clyde Tunnel ensure thousands of motorists travel safely and without delay every day. They keep the city moving and without their expertise and experience, one of Scotland’s most important roads could close with untold disruption.”

The vote on strike action will take place next week says Glasgow Live.

Workers in the control room on the Whiteinch side monitor a battery of cameras 24 hours a day, control ventilation, and respond to breakdowns and other emergencies.

Mr Greenaway said a three per cent offer made to council workers was clearly unacceptable and industrial action seems inevitable if it is not improved. He said: “The offer is nowhere close to matching the commitment of council workers, adding pennies to the hourly rate paid to the lowest-paid staff.

“The frontline roles of our members on the Clyde Tunnel and their colleagues across Scotland’s councils deserve to be properly recognised and fairly rewarded. They have been offered an annual increase below inflation as household bills continue to climb.

“No one, not least the councils, could have been surprised when it was overwhelmingly rejected and they should not be surprised when our members take whatever action is necessary to be paid fairly.”

It comes after a consultative ballot of GMB Scotland members in councils revealed 96 per cent of those voting backed walkouts if local authority body Cosla did not improve the pay offer.

(Pic: Richard Johnson/Dreamstime.com)