SCHOOL cleaners and janitors across Ayrshire are to take to the streets over the long running campaign for fair and equal wages.

As the new term gets underway this week, the staff employed by the local schools contractor, Mitie, are upping the ante to campaign against their alleged second-class treatment.

GMB Scotland, the union for school support staff, is stepping up its campaign for a Living Wage for school cleaners.

The union is also demanding that janitors working in local schools, which are operated on behalf of North, South and East Ayrshire councils by the contractor, are paid at least the same as council employed janitors.

Members of the public across Ayrshire will be asked to sign petitions backing the cleaners and janitors at special street stalls organised by the union in Kilmarnock, Ayr and Irvine over the next few weeks.

The four schools in North Ayrshire are Greenwood Academy, Arran High School, St Matthew’s

Academy and Stanley Primary.

GMB Scotland Organiser, Benny Rankin, said: “The time has come to pay up what is owed.

"We are asking local people to get behind these cleaners and janitors and to help us end poverty pay in our local schools.

"GMB Scotland are demanding that all school cleaners get at least a Living Wage and to ensure that janitors in the council’s outsourced schools are paid as much as those employed by the councils.

"It is a scandal that local council leaders and Mitie have allowed it to get to this point, but these school staff have been treated as second-class workers long enough.

"Poverty pay in Ayrshire’s schools needs to end.”

North Ayrshire Council Leader Joe Cullinane said: “I have supported the GMB on this issue ever since I was first elected in 2012.

“I got the council’s Living Wage working group to send an invitation to Mitie to come along and discuss their non-payment of the Living Wage for janitors and cleaners. Mitie refused to attend.

“When, as Council Leader, I finally secured Living Wage accreditation for the council in 2016 I again, with the support of the GMB, approached Mitie to request a discussion on their non-payment of the Living Wage. Mitie didn’t respond to the request.

“And a few weeks ago, with the GMB advising us that Mitie may now be willing to discuss the issue, I instructed council

officers to look into the issue again.

“I will continue to support the GMB’s campaign and hope that in turn they will support my efforts to get the Scottish Government to help the council buy-out the PPP contracts, something that they have repeatedly refused to do when I have asked.”

A spokesperson for North Ayrshire Council said: “We have previously written to Mitie urging them to consider matching

annual pay negotiations/awards with that of the council.

“In June this year, we approached the GMB and indicated that we would like a formal meeting with them and Mitie to discuss this issue further.

“We hope that a meeting can be arranged so we can reach a resolution that satisfies all parties.”