The Pope’s visit to Scotland could be disrupted by a day of strikes by council workers in an ongoing dispute over pay and conditions, it emerged yesterday.

Benedict XVI is to face picket lines at the venue where he is due to celebrate Mass before thousands of pilgrims in Glasgow next month.

Staff employed by Glasgow Life are expected to walk out on September 16, the GMB union said.

Two of the venues affected - the Palace of Arts and Bellahouston Sports Centre – are to be used during the Pope’s planned Mass celebration in Bellahouston Park.

It is part of an ongoing dispute involving 1,400 staff employed by Glasgow Life, the body set up by Glasgow City Council to run the city’s public leisure centres, swimming pools, libraries, museums and theatres.

The dispute is over proposed cuts to staff working hours, reduced pay and the end of paying premium rates for working on six public holidays.

Of the 1,400 workers employed by Glasgow Life, 350 are GMB members, while members of Unite, Unison and Bectu are also to take action that day, a GMB spokesman said.

There have already been five full days of strike action and eight days of selective strikes in relation to the dispute since April 30.

Glasgow Life has been invited to conciliation service Acas to discuss the dispute, but it has not yet accepted.

The GMB’s Martin Doran said: “GMB expect that these members will renew the mandate for official strike action and the next day of strike action will be on September 16 when the Pope is in Glasgow and is scheduled to use two of the venues where there will be strike action and picket lines.

“These members have been backed into a corner and the employer Glasgow Life is not able to make a decision whether to go to Acas or not.

“I am calling once again on Glasgow Life to get into talks to settle this dispute and avert embarrassment to His Holiness the Pope.”