Union urges councils to take back control
General union Unite has called on local authorities to take gyms, swimming pools and sports halls operated by Greenwich Leisure Ltd (GLL) back under council control.
The union spoke out after it estimated that 2,000 staff on zero hours contracts have been shed by GLL during the pandemic. Unite believes that the figure of more than 500 jobs which GLL has cut since last March are just the permanent posts, and does not take into account all those on zero hours contracts who have been told there is no longer work for them.
Unite regional officer Onay Kasab said: “Instead of GLL hawking the begging bowl around cash-strapped local councils asking them to prop up its flawed business model, council bosses should instigate a programme ‘to take back control’ of their leisure centres."