HUNDREDS of union members are set to protest council plans to transfer nearly 2500 culture and leisure workers to a new charitable trust.

Unison members will stage a demonstration outside Glasgow City Chambers tomorrow, ahead of a meeting to decide their fate.

Morale among the 2414 staff who work in Glasgow's galleries, museums, libraries and leisure centres is said to "have hit rock-bottom."

Workers are anxious about the proposed transfer to a charitable trust, but councillors are backing the scheme which would generate an extra £8million a year in council revenue.

Charitable organisations qualify for an automatic 80% relief on non-domestic rates as well as being eligible for lottery cash, Euro funds and tax breaks not available to the council.

The new trust would take over the running of culture and leisure services, sport, outdoor recreation, community libraries and youth services.

The council would retain ownership of all buildings and art treasures.

But staff would have to switch over to the trust, who, by law, would only have to honour their terms and conditions for six months.

Glasgow city branch Unison secretary John Devine said today: "We deplore the haste with which this decision is being taken and the lack of consultation.

"This equates to selling the family silver and we call on the council to think again before it's too late.

"The wholesale transfer of staff and assets on such a massive scale has not been given the scrutiny such a move demands."

The Unison demo takes place at 12.15pm.