Glasgow’s Rubbish Strikes of 1975 That Kicked Up a Stink for 13 Weeks
A look back at the 1975 strikes that left Glasgow’s streets overflowing with rubbish
Glasgow, Scotland, Rubbish Strikes, 1975, Army Intervention
Glasgow: Remember the rubbish strikes back in 1975? It was a wild time. For 13 weeks, bin workers went on strike, and the city was a mess. The army even had to step in to help clear the streets.
It all kicked off in January when about 350 workers decided to strike. Rubbish piled up everywhere—backyards, alleys, you name it. The 70s were tough for workers, and this wasn’t the first time refuse collectors had issues with pay.
By March, the situation got so bad that the British Army was called in. It was a big deal since it was the first time in 25 years that the military was used for something like this. The smell was unbearable, and rats were everywhere.
People were really worried. A local mum, Mrs. Burns, shared how awful it was. Kids were playing in the rubbish, and the stench was just terrible. She said they were even starting to see rats in their homes.
News outlets covered the army’s efforts, but many felt they focused too much on health issues instead of the workers’ struggles. The dustcart drivers were earning a basic wage of just £32.50, which was pretty low compared to other jobs.
Soldiers were paid a little extra to help with the rubbish, and they even had some funny moments on camera, battling the rats. In the end, they cleared about 39,000 tons of rubbish before the workers returned to their jobs in April.