Climate protestors hold a vigil on the steps of the Royal Exchange, near the Bank of England in London, England, Friday, Oct. 29, 2021. People protested in London ahead of the 26th UN Climate Change Conference (COP26), which starts Sunday in Glasgow, Scotland. (AP Photo/Frank Augstein)Frank Augstein/The Associated Press
Unions representing garbage collectors and other workers have suspended a strike that could have proved embarrassing for Glasgow as the Scottish city plays host to the COP26 climate summit.
Around 1,500 civic workers had threatened to walk off the job during the 12-day United Nations conference, which starts on Sunday at Glasgow’s Scottish Events Campus. The staff included sanitation workers, school janitors and caterers.
On Friday, union leaders accepted an improved wage offer from the organization that represents local authorities in Scotland. The unions agreed to suspend the strike while they consulted members.
“This improved pay offer rightly puts more money into the pockets of those on the lowest pay – it is just disappointing that UNISON members had to threaten to go on strike for their employer to recognize their worth,” union spokesperson Johanna Baxter said.
This is the second strike planned for COP26 that has been averted. Earlier this week, a union representing rail workers accepted a wage offer and called off job action.
A garbage strike would have worsened an already difficult situation for Glasgow city council. Residents have been complaining for months about overflowing litter bins and hordes of rats.
Officials said garbage collection had been seriously affected by the pandemic and they acknowledged that the rat population had increased by 25 per cent. However, Susan Aitken, the lead councillor, insisted this week that 150 extra bins had been put in place and that staff had performed 12,000 hours of additional work to clean up the city for COP.
“I’m confident that visitors coming to Glasgow will see, as they always see, an incredibly vibrant, diverse and welcoming urban space,” she told a House of Commons committee this week.
Roughly 30,000 delegates and 130 world leaders will descend on the city for the conference. Tens of thousands of activists are also expected and the group Extinction Rebellion had said it plans “deliberate disruption” during the summit.
On Friday, Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon called on protesters to be considerate. “I would ask that people demonstrating show consideration for the city and people who live here,” Ms. Sturgeon said during a press conference.
“The people of Glasgow are opening their city up to the world at what is a difficult time for everybody around the world.”
There have also been concerns that the event could exacerbate Britain’s high COVID-19 infection rate. On Friday, the Office for National Statistics said the infection rate in England was close to where it was at the peak of the pandemic last January. The ONS estimated that one in 50 people in England has been infected with the virus this week, up from one in 55 a week earlier.
The infection rate in Scotland had been falling in recent weeks but the ONS said it jumped to one in 75 from one in 90 a week ago. That was still down from one in 45 in early September.
“The latest Office for National Statistics data reports a deteriorating situation in terms of infection numbers in the U.K.,” said Simon Clarke, an associate professor in cellular microbiology at the University of Reading.
“If the situation were to deteriorate further, we risk creating pressure in the health care system leading to reduced access to care for the most unwell.”
COP26 officials have said that safety measures including daily testing and face masks will be in place throughout the summit.
Our Morning Update and Evening Update newsletters are written by Globe editors, giving you a concise summary of the day’s most important headlines. Sign up today.