WORKERS are afraid for their safety if plans for 4am licensing go ahead in Glasgow.

Campaign group Better than Zero have spoken out about potential plans to extend opening hours by an hour.

They claim that hospitality workers are already being put in dangerous positions by working late and that later closing times would exacerbate the problem.

The move comes after Better than Zero launched their Safe Home campaign, which is gathering the views of hospitality workers and the issues they face working until unsociable hours.

Organiser Claire Galloway said: “We know that the proposals will mean a benefit to the the economy and the city, but will people ask about the affect on workers? 

“If venues are applying for an extension to their opening hours they have a duty of care to make sure staff are getting home.

“We know there is an increase in violence, attacks and sexual assaults at this time of night and it is dangerous for staff.

“You could say to staff not to take the work but many are not in a position to turn down a shift.

“This is a big issue and blindly extending opening hours with no worker’s consultation whatsoever is wrong.”

This feeling has been echoed by one worker young worker who is already expected to make her way home in the early hours of the morning.

The woman, who who did not want to be named, works at a city centre branch of Cineworld where staff are asked to work until 2am on weekends.

She said: “We are forced to take unsafe decisions. We may decide to walk home or walk to a taxi rank but we are vulnerable and know we are not safe.

“People are having to choose between paying their rent or getting a taxi. Walking with keys in between our fingers for protection and being shouted at in the street is a common experience for many of us and extending opening hours would only make this worse for many.”

A council spokeswoman said: “The council is currently involved in an open, public engagement exercise regarding the consultation.

“Naturally, we expect employers to consider the welfare of staff in any decisions they take.”

A Cineworld spokesperson said: "At Cineworld, the safety and well-being of our staff is really important to us and that’s why we have and will continue to subsidise taxis for our staff.”