By HANNAH RODGER

A STRIKE over the future of IT workers at Glasgow City Council has come to an end.

Staff, who are all members of trade union Unison, have accepted a deal from the council this afternoon and will return to work on Monday.

Workers were unhappy at plans to privatise the service, which includes social work and schools IT and payroll, with Canadian firm CGI understood to be the favourites for the contract.

Trade unions condemned the decision to allow privatisation, which was agreed at an executive committee meeting in October 2016.

CGI had previously been talking to staff and offering incentives without permission from trade unions.

Now staff have voted to accept a deal to protect their jobs, terms and conditions and employment status should CGI take over the contract.

Workers who are currently employed by the council are to remain as such, and a guarantee of no compulsory redundancies and no relocation from Glasgow remains in tact.

The deal also means a board is to be formed with senior council officials and politicians, who will oversee job-related issues.

The trade union said it will collectively bargain with the council through this board.

A spokesman for Unison said: "The deal is a positive outcome for the 230 members.

"UNISON membership has increased by 40% in the past six months. Against a background of key senior council officers pushing for CGI to take over the running of the city’s IT service and a political leadership unwilling to rule it out, the UNISON members should be congratulated on what they have achieved."

Councillor Frank McAveety, Leader of Glasgow City Council, said: “From the very start of this we have given staff guarantees about their jobs, conditions and pensions.

"I am therefore pleased that staff have now recognised the value of this offer and voted to end their strike action.

“Together we can now get on with the real job of delivering a revolution in IT provision which will create the best digital offer for the students in Glasgow schools, the people of the city seeking better access to our services, which will promote new skills and deliver new jobs."