SCHOOL janitors in north-west Glasgow are planning a five-day strike kicking off on the first day of the new school term.

The strike action seen earlier this year will resume from Unison trade union members at primary, nursery and additional support for learning schools.

Janitors said it's in response to demands placed on them and refusal of bosses to pay a Working Context and Demands Payment (WCD).

Janitorial staff are employed by Glasgow City Council arm's-length company Cordia.

Brian Smith, Unison Branch Secretary, said: “The payment due to our members for these duties means that they lose earnings of £500 to £1000 every year.

"We are sure that parents will understand that it would be wrong for this unfairness to continue.

"Cordia has spent thousands of pounds every month since January 2016 trying to undermine our official boycott of the duties through the use of non-trade union replacement workers.

"They would be better getting round the table and sorting out our legitimate claim.”

Since March, the janitors have taken nineteen days of strike action in an escalation of the dispute.

The trade union also highlight a variety of issues it considered detrimental to pupil and staff health.

These include: a lack of daily fire tests and trained, competent fire wardens; schools being left open and unattended; no evidence of any amendments to premises Fire Risk Assessments; a lack of daily heating plant checks; untrained staff loading coal into fires; untrained staff opening schools and leaving them unattended; cleaners covering janitors duties; litter picking not being completed; after school care evening school lets unattended; and a lack of daily boiler house checks; asbestos logs not being completed for external contractors.

A council spokeswoman said: “All Breakfast Clubs and After School Clubs operated as normal during the last periods of action.

“However, parents and carers need to be aware that this is subject to change at short notice depending of local arrangements and circumstances.”

A spokesman for Cordia said: "The vast majority of janitors have not been involved in any industrial action.

"Cordia employs 225 janitors, of which 113 are Unison members.

"In the last five days of strike action, only 74 Unison members participated.

“The janitorial role was last reviewed in 2006, prior to the formation of Cordia, with trade union participation.

"At this time all additional payments were agreed. Since then there has been no change to their role."