A GLASGOW comedy club has backed a trade union initiative to ensure that late-night workers get home safe after their shift.

The Stand on Woodlands Road signed up to the Safe Home campaign, a project run by Better than Zero, a movement against precarious work

The initiative encourage employers to take their duty of care towards workers seriously by introducing taxi allowances for all late night workers.

Following negotiations between members of Unite union and senior management, The Stand agreed to support the campaign which will see all late-night workers receive free transport home after the last bus, train, or tram.

In total, around 60 staff at The Stand’s three venues in Glasgow, Edinburgh and Newcastle will benefit from the new scheme.

Gemma Maramis, general manager at The Stand said: “The Stand recognise the powerful impact of ensuring all members of staff are treated equally, fairly and safely whilst in our employment. By ensuring staff have the opportunity to travel back from work after last public transport has finished, we are pleased to be in the knowledge that staff members are getting home safe following late night shift work in the hospitality departments of the business.

"We have found that by giving a number of staff perks such as late night taxi travel when needed, has abundant givebacks including high staff retention which saves on new training - and promotes general happiness and wellbeing.

“We feel it is unfair to offer shifts to employees who may be have to spend 1 - 2 hours wages ensuring their safety following late night work and never wish for travel costs to be prohibitive to employment.

"We would actively encourage employers to not think of a workforce as staff but instead extended family members.”

The Stand follows other Glasgow venue in committing to this support after Strathclyde Student Union and SWG3 signed-up last year.

Better than Zero have now said this shows the standard that other employers should aspire to.

Organiser Bryan Simpson said: "We are delighted that The Stand has met the demands of the Safe Home campaign.

"It means, unlike most late-night workers, more than 60 staff do not need to worry about how they are getting home after their shift once public transport has stopped.

“As one of Scotland’s best known comedy clubs, this sets an important precedent for the way hospitality workers should be treated across the industry.

“We look forward to working with Unite members at The Stand to improve conditions further."