UNION leaders want assurances that there will be no job losses or pay cuts to cleansing workers as a result of new bin hubs being trialled across the city.

Glasgow City Council is removing bins from back courts in three areas and replacing them with on street hubs.

The new hubs will house bins for general waste, recycling and food waste and will mean bin workers no longer need to pull bins out from back courts through closes to get to the bin lorry.

READ NEXT: How new Glasgow bins will work as they replace back court collections

The trials are starting in Pollokshields, Haghill and the Anderston council ward.

If successful they will be rolled out across the city.

On a visit to Pollokshields with the Glasgow Times, Chris Mitchell, Glasgow GMB convenor, and Barry McAreavey, vice-convenor, highlighted their members' concerns.

The council has admitted there is a cost-saving element in the plans but that health and safety of the workforce and increasing recycling rates is part of the scheme.

The GMB however still has concerns about the long-term impact on its members.

Mr Mitchell said just now it takes three workers and a driver to deliver the service to tenements.

He said that the new system will mean only two plus a driver are required.

Mr Mitchell said: There is a no compulsory redundancy policy, but they won’t replace people who retire or leave and will make the post redundant.”

He said that means fewer jobs will be available for people in the city who see the cleansing as a long-term future.

READ NEXT: Cleansing workers ready to take action over planned bin changes

He added: “Can the council guarantee there will not be job cuts in the future?”

The union is also worried about the implications the change could have on pay with the council going through a new pay and grading structure.

Mr Mitchell said workers fear that their job will be re-evaluated and downgraded because it could be argued there is less physical work involved.

He added: “We want a guarantee of no job cuts and no downgrading.”

The council said it is trialling the use of on-street bin hubs, which will help to address the health and safety concerns raised by GMB in recent years.

Ruairi Kelly, convenor for neighbourhood services, said: “We need to make every pound go as far as it can and have made no secret of the resource implications of the planned changes.

“The cleansing workforce has raised working conditions over time and by not having to lift tens of thousands of bins through back courts every week we believe that, if the on-street trials are successful, their work environment will improve considerably.

“No one will be made redundant as a result of the on-street bin proposals.”

The union also has concerns about fly-tipping, waste piling up beside bins and measures to ensure only residents can use the new hubs.

The council said: "As part of the programme, our commercial enforcement team will be visiting local businesses in the area to check that appropriate waste contracts are in place.

"Enforcement action can be taken against businesses that do not comply."

Mr McAreavey said: "Enforcement is toothless. Just now there's nothing to stop shopkeepers putting rubbish in the bins."