A COUNCILLOR has spoken of her fear that her bus driver husband will miss out on vital pay after being snowed in and unable to reach work.

Cllr Elspeth Kerr’s husband is a driver for First Glasgow and is based at their Dumbarton Depot along with other drivers.

He got up at 6am on March 1 to start work at 6.50am, but was unable to drive to work from Drumchapel due to the snow and was unable to take a bus to work as these were all cancelled.

No buses ran from the depot throughout the day and he phoned in every hour to the depot until 12pm to see if the situation had changed, before being assured that because he had phoned in for updates he would get paid, despite his absence.

However, upon reaching work last Tuesday, Cllr Kerr, who represents Glasgow’s Drumchapel/Anniesland ward, said he was informed he would no longer be paid for Thursday, before later hearing he would be paid.

The confusion she said has caused a great deal of uncertainty and anxiety.

She explained: “When he went in to work he was told that they were not going to be paid except eight or so who turned up on Thursday who live locally.

“They have come back on it, so I’m reserving judgement until we get the wage because we could be £80 down. Nobody should be penalised because it was a red warning, which means danger to life.

"I am very anxious because if he ends up £80 down that week it impacts on our lives.

“It’s a waiting game. I can only imagine how it would affect the people who are only surviving on a bus drivers wage to take that hit would be completely wrong.”

On March 2 Cllr Kerr’s husband walked more than two miles in the snow to catch a bus to work from Dumbarton Road.

He then dug out the car later that day and moved it to Sainbury’s in Drumchapel in readiness for starting work on Saturday morning at 4.30am, before working on Saturday and Monday believing that he would be paid for the missed day.

Cllr Kerr said even if he is paid for this day, the changing certainty over whether or not he will be paid in itself is “extremely unfair”, as is being expected to work during a red warning.

She added: “It is awful they were threatened in that way. They said they had to come in on Friday and he managed to get in and work all day.

“It is extremely unfair when there is a red warning and he did all he could and there are so many others who have also gone above and beyond.

“Walking from Drumchapel to Dumbarton is a trek, especially in those conditions and with a red warning in place.”

In response to Cllr Kerr’s concerns Andrew Jarvis, managing director for First Glasgow, however, assured workers that those who had made it to work or checked in on the day would be paid.

He said: “The majority of our drivers made it in or at least attempted to make it in only to be sent home or told to stay put during the worst of the Beast from the East weather.

“Those drivers who did make it in went to great length, over and above the call of duty, to clear the depots and surrounding areas of snow so that we could be ready to get people moving again as soon as it was safe to do so.

“I cannot praise our staff enough for their efforts during this weather event and some of the feats they achieved were a measure of their professionalism, hard work and dedication in serving the public.

“All staff who made the effort to come in, were sent home or at least called in to make themselves available for work, will be paid in full for the day’s work.

“In the situation where we did not hear from a driver, when our policy is clear that they are duty-bound to keep us informed of their situation daily, then they will be marked as absent as per the terms of their contract.

“In the situation, where they were unable to attend work they would be offered the option of using a day’s holiday in lieu to cover this.”

West of Scotland MSP Ross Greer hit out at workers being forced to turn up for work during the red weather warning.

He said: “Whilst many responsible employers did close or make other arrangements for their staff, too many seemed to think they knew better than the Met Office and required their staff to put their lives, and others, at risk in order to travel in treacherous conditions.”