VITAL safety checks are not being carried out at city primary schools when janitors are on strike, staff claim.

Janitors have spoken to the Evening Times to express their concerns about fire safety tests, which they carry out every day while at work.

The staff, all employed by council-owned firm Cordia, say fire checks are not being done at their schools when they have been out on strike.

They also say cover is not being provided for kids’ after school activities, including youth clubs, sports and after school care.

Read more: Union 'left in the dark' over janitorial reform plans as strikes continue

The fire tests are to ensure fire doors are not blocked on either side, fire extinguishers are in the right places, and the doors open and function properly in case of emergencies.

A number of log books which record the daily checks, seen by this newspaper, have been left blank during strike days and have not been completed by any other staff member.

One janitor said: “The authorities are trying to make out that everything is going on as normal, and that what we do is not important.

“There is clearly an impact when we are not there, they are just not saying it.

“In my school, every single after school club was cancelled when I went on strike. The kids have to go to another school for after school care three miles down the road.”

Another janitor added: “The fire checks are not being done anywhere and that is a concern.

“The first thing we do in the morning is fill in the fire register but when we come back from strike the whole thing is blank.

“We go round, make sure all the exits are cleared, there’s no rubbish piled up, no rubbish in the way, the doors aren’t chained shut.

“We make sure the routes are clear for exit. That is a mandatory check. I do it every morning at 6.45am, before anyone comes in.”

The jannies, who are all members of trade union Unison, have staged walkouts over the last seven months in a dispute over pay for outdoor and unpleasant duties.

They argue their colleagues receive annual payments of between £500 and £1000 for working regularly outside, heavy lifting or dirty jobs.

A Glasgow City Council spokeswoman said they thought the safety checks were being carried out, but said it was the responsibility of the schools’ head teachers to do them.

Read more: Union 'left in the dark' over janitorial reform plans as strikes continue

She cited the council’s guidance sent out to schools in advance of strikes, which reads: “Heads of Establishment must ensure that daily fire register responsibilities are undertaken and that the weekly fire alarm test takes place.

“You may wish to schedule this in advance of any action.”

She e confirmed after school activities had been moved to another location in one school as there was no janitorial cover, and added: “The after school care club was moved to another location to ensure the club still went ahead. The club understood the situation and were happy the club could still run albeit in another location.”