Workers have waited too long

THE thousands of women who walked out on strike yesterday have been shamefully let down for too long.

These people make Glasgow function. They clean our schools, feed our children and look after our most vulnerable. In return, we ripped them off for years. The women deserve equal pay and compensation for being cheated.

It’s terribly sad that so many of these workers now feel there’s no alternative but to take direct action.

Let’s make no bones about it. This strike has caused inconvenience and worry for many vulnerable people and families.

That it did so is further proof of the vital job these women do.

The strike is not something that the women entered into lightly. They did it because their patience has worn dry.

Glasgow has an SNP-run council after decades of being a Labour fiefdom.

The nationalists came to power last year with a pledge to sort this mess out.

The Record does not doubt council leader Susan Aitken’s determination to live up to that promise.

But progress has been too slow. The council must respond to this strike swiftly and decisively.

This, however, does not absolve Labour for their prior deeds. They created this situation, allowed it to fester and are now cynically seeking political capital from it.

It’s understandable the SNP feel aggrieved that they are taking the flak for a shambles they are not responsible for.

But that is one of the burdens of power. The SNP must show they are better equipped to bear it than Labour were.