REFUSE workers facing the axe have spoken out about how the job losses will affect them - and the city.

Today is crunch time for 130 temporary contract workers after council bosses said the jobs would be considered as part of the budget.

But the men who stand to become unemployed said the wait to find out their futures is causing huge stress.

The Evening Times has previously told how Glasgow's entire cleansing staff are balloting to strike over the street cleaning jobs.

Contracts for the workers run out on March 31 and union bosses have been calling on the council to make the work permanent.

One refuse worker, who asked to be known as Billy, gave up a permanent job in a hotel to take up the council post.

He has three young children but worked nights and wanted hours that allowed him to be at home more.

Billy, in his 20s, said: "You cannot underestimate the stress I am feeling just now.

"I haven't told my partner that my job might be lost because I don't want her to feel like I'm going to be a burden to her or not be able to support my family.

"We have had it hinted to us many times that these jobs will become permanent if we work hard.

"And I have worked really hard at this job. I take great pride in my work and it influences how I see myself and how others see me

"It will be hard losing my daily routine, my professional identity, loss of my self esteem and my self confidence.

"I’m actually very proud to work for Glasgow city council and it will be a very sad day if I was to be let go."

Should the 130 contracts not be renewed it would represent a loss to the cleansing workforce of 12 per cent.

Many of the workers were taken on from positions of long term unemployment and hired from a Community Safety Glasgow homelessness support initiative.

The Evening Times visited Billy on his patch in a busy city thoroughfare where he was working to clear litter from the street.

Billy added: "I'm lucky. I have a good head on my shoulders and I'm young so I can look for other work but a lot of the guys are older.

"They have been unemployed for a long time before getting these jobs and they will not be able to get new ones.

"They will be signing on and will still cost the city money, just in a different way."

GMB Scotland Organiser Rhea Wolfson had asked the council directly if the jobs would be discussed in the budget and claims Councillor Feargal Dalton told her they would not.

However, a council spokeswoman told the Evening Times they would be addressed in the budget.

Cleansing staff will picket outside the City Chambers today.

Among them will be Ali, 40, who said he and his colleagues are extremely worried about the outcome for their jobs.

He added: "I have always gone above and beyond in this job and the people on my patch know me now.

"All the guys work very hard, we all have families to look after.

"The city is barely coping with us and we're working flat out. Without us the city will definitely struggle.

"The place will be in an even worse mess."