PUBLIC-services union Unison yesterday called for “fair treatment” of Glasgow staff who are working to make the 2014 Commonwealth Games a success.

Unison members have held a series of “pop-up” lunchbreak protests against the refusal by arm’s-length city-council leisure company Glasgow Life to pay enhancements to workers during the Games.

The union’s Glasgow branch secretary Brian Smith said: “Glasgow Life workers are working hard to make the games a success. We want these games to succeed, just like everyone else. 

“But these workers earn an average of £16,500 per year. These are the people who are working hard to deliver the Commonwealth Games but can’t afford tickets to go. 

“They deserve fair treatment.”

Workers in Glasgow sports centres and museums will only get their basic pay rate for extra hours during the Games whereas others employed by the local authorities and council-run companies are being paid enhanced rates and specific payments. 

Many Glasgow Life workers have had shift changes forced on them without agreement, and many have had annual leave curtailed during school holidays. 

The Unison demonstrations at Glasgow City Chambers and Kelvingrove Art Gallery during the opening days of the Games came after the union won a last-minute legal battle on Wednesday.

Glasgow Life took the union to court to try to stop the protests — but met a costly and embarrassing defeat.

Mr Smith said: “Instead of sitting down to find a solution, Glasgow Life has been wasting time and money with legal action against Unison.

“The court decision means Glasgow Life have to pay both their own and Unison’s legal costs, something Unison never wanted to happen in the first place.”