Polling stations: Legal ruling bans Glasgow pickets
Glasgow City Council won a legal ruling to prevent union members picketing outside polling stations in the city on Thursday.
Around 1,600 members of Unison, Unite, GMB and Bectu who work for Culture and Sport Glasgow are expected to walk out on a 24-hour strike over pay and conditions.
A similar action last Friday closed museums, art galleries, leisure centres and libraries across Glasgow.
The city council said that Thursday's action would not close any of the polling stations.
And on Wednesday it won an an interim interdict at Edinburgh Court of Session to prevent picketing outside them.
The picket lines will be banned from outside polling stations between 7am and 11pm.
Judge Lord Bracadale ruled that the the presence of a picket line could deter voters from casting their ballot.
Returning Officer Edward Black said the ruling ensured that voters in Glasgow could "exercise their right to vote without having to cross a picket line".
He said: "There is now no reason whatsoever why people should not cast their vote and I urge them to do so".
Brian Smith, Unison's Glasgow branch secretary, said members did not intend to picket outside polling stations.
He said: "The object of the strike is not to disrupt the election, it's to disrupt the services that are run out of those buildings, not to interfere with voting."
