A UNION has slammed flytipping rates across Glasgow as it demands for the council to intervene.

GMB insists the city is in the midst of a waste crisis with its members, who hail from Glasgow City Council’s cleansing teams, struggling to cope under the increase in pressure.

In particular, officials have warned the north of the city is “dire” for residents since the three-weekly main-door bin collection has been introduced which, it claims, is failing to address flytipping rates.

A GMB spokesman said: “It seems that management and the political administration are determined to push on with this failed experiment.

“If you walk down any street in Glasgow you can plainly see the city needs vital investment, we cannot go on like this.

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“The workforce and the people of Glasgow deserve better.”

Illegal dumping spots have plagued Glasgow for years, however, the union’s Streets of Shame campaign warns the issue will only worsen if investment is not put into the cleaning force.

Glasgow City Council was forced to pause the bulk uplift service during the initial lockdown last year.

It was resumed on December 10 by a request-only service, however, critics warn this is not enough.

While, earlier this month, queues were reported at the Easter Queenslie recycling depot as residents attempt to combat a reduced pick-up service.

A spokesman added: “All of this is against a backdrop of vital frontline positions being axed. Just over 300 street sweepers are employed by Glasgow City Council, a few years ago there were 800.

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“The aggressive cuts agenda seems to have a momentum of its own.”

A spokesman for the council said: “It is regrettable that the GMB continues to talk down Glasgow and the efforts of council staff.

“Our figures show that while there has been a very slight increase in fly-tipping over the course of 2020, there has been a 23.5% increase in the number of fly-tipping incidents cleared by our teams.

“Despite the impact of covid, staff have worked hard to deal with the anti-social behaviour committed by a minority of city residents.

“GMB should get behind us and really challenge the kind of anti-social behaviour that puts added pressure on the delivery of services and diverts valuable resources away from other frontline services.

“Three weekly kerbside collections for general waste have been shown to work for other local authorities, were approved in a democratic vote by the full council and also ensure staff undertake fewer bin collections along simpler collection routes.

Glasgow Times:

“Staff also remain in secure employment as we seek to deliver effective and efficient services on behalf of the city’s council tax payers

“Despite what the GMB says, it is a positive that residents are using our waste centres as this adds to the city’s recycling effort by helping to ensure residents’ waste is separated effectively before being processed.

“Plans are also in place to recruit more drivers for street sweepers and also to introduce new mechanical street sweepers that will support the effort to keep the city in good order.

“We have seen no evidence that supports the claim that additional green bins are being presented at kerbside in the way that’s being suggested.”