Council backs plan for hospitality workers to be guaranteed safe transport home

Glasgow City Council has passed a motion which will require hospitality businesses seeking an extended licence to provide safe transport home for late night workers.

Unite the Union worked with city councillors Eunis Jassemi, Holly Bruce and Anthony Carroll to pass the motion which will see workers in bars and restaurants being able to access free and safe transport after 11pm.

The campaign came about after a leading member of the union, Caitlin Lee, was sexually assaulted as she was walking home from work.

She said the hotel where she worked had refused to pay for her to get a taxi home after she finished her shift.

The motion, which was debated at the full meeting of the council on Thursday, calls on the authority to make the provision of safe and free transport home for staff working past 11pm a requirement for any new and extended alcohol licences.

Since the campaign was started in 2021, similar schemes have been introduced by Edinburgh City Council, East Dunbartonshire, North Ayrshire, Falkirk and Dundee.

Holly Bruce, Scottish Greens councillor for the Langside ward, thanked campaigners for their work.

She tweeted: “Thank you Fair Hospitality and Caitlin Lee for pushing the Get Me Home Safely campaign to the top of the Glasgow City Council agenda.”

Eunis Jassemi, Labour councillor for the Victoria Park ward in Glasgow, said he was delighted the motion passed.

A former hospitality worker himself, Mr Jassemi tweeted: said: “I’m delighted to have worked closely with Unite Scotland on getting the Get Me Home Safety motion passed in the biggest city in the country.

“Delighted to have worked on a cross-party basis to make this happen. The hard work starts now.

Anthony Carroll, a Green Councillor for the Dennistoun ward, said that those working late at night “often have to rely on precarious provision of public transport or private hire to get home safely”.

Mr Carroll tweeted: “Delighted this just passed unanimously.

“Thanks so much to Unite, & all those calling for action to cater for those who cater for us in the night time economy.”