WORKERS at a Glasgow gym facility will strike for four consecutive days.

The staff at the Emirates Arena and Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome in Dalmarnock have planned the industrial action from tomorrow to Wednesday.

The strikes come after the union Unite accused Glasgow Life, who run the sports facility, of the alleged withdrawal of pay allowances for certain tasks being carried out.

The dispute, which is not related to the worker’s core pay, instead focusses on additional payments relating to manual working demands and whether the setting up and de-rigging works at the Emirates qualify for this.

An overtime ban was put in place by the trade union at the end of November, with Glasgow Life now employing what Unite call “scab labour” to cover the additional work.

Unite Scotland held a ballot in February on further industrial action and 85 per cent of those entitled to vote did so. The ballot returned an 100 per cent in favour of strike action.

Now Glasgow Life is warning its customers that operations at the Emirates could be affected.

The organisation said that a schedule schools athletics event on March 7 involving around 200 pupils will be postponed as a result.

The British Basketball League Trophy Final taking place on Sunday, March 4, however, will go ahead as planned.

Glasgow Life said that they received notification from Unite that they will undertake strike action commencing at 2.30pm on March 4 and concluding at 7am on March 7.

A spokesman for Glasgow Life, said: “The action being taken by Unite is wholly unnecessary. We have offered to go to arbitration and the union has declined.

“Rather than targeting an event which brings together more than 200 schoolchildren from across the city, Unite could work with us to find a resolution. In the meantime, the venue will remain open and we will do everything possible to minimise any disruption.”

Unite Scotland’s Regional Officer James O’Connell said: “It is not true that Unite is unwilling to go to arbitration. However in the face of Glasgow Life’s use of new contractors to strike break we want a meeting with the Board of Trustees first. Glasgow Life is a registered charity. So charity rules entitle us to that. It’s time charity began at home.”

He added: “We believe that this dispute could be resolved if the management of Glasgow Life were prepared to show some willingness to reach an agreement. Instead we have been confronted with total intransigence. Their truculent statement to the Evening Times is a classic example of that.”