| Around 5000 public sector employees, including plumbers and electricians, are understood to have downed tools across Scotland in a 24-hour walkout that could be repeated every two weeks.
Unite official Gillian McKay said the stoppage was fully supported in Dundee, although some key staff had been allowed to remain at work.
Dundee City Council said it had organised emergency cover in case tenants needed urgent repairs carried out in their homes.
The union says many of Scotland’s local authority tradesmen and women are forced to work longer hours than their colleagues in the rest of the UK.
Unite members are also unhappy about a 2.45% pay offer, claiming other council workers have received a higher increase.
Ms McKay said the difference in working hours between Scots workers and their UK colleagues was unjustifiable.
Unite claims Scottish council workers are putting in a 39-hour working week — two hours more than all other local authority employees.
She said, “This is just not acceptable. We have been trying to get COSLA (the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities) to sit around the table and address what is a mass injustice.
“This action is not something that we have taken lightly.”
Ms McKay said there appeared to be 100% backing for the strike amongst Dundee workers and she hoped this would be sufficient leverage to force COSLA back to the negotiating table.
Unite’s national officer John Allott said his members had been treated with contempt by Scottish local government employers.
He said, “This is indefensible and our members have had enough and are determined to end this injustice.”
Some workers set up picket lines outside their workplaces in Dundee today, including the Clepington Road offices of Dundee Contract Services.
Dundee City Council said more than 200 employees at Dundee Contract Services were involved in the dispute.
Fife Council said it was keeping essential services going today despite the strike.
Most affected in Fife are building services and refuse collections, although a skeleton staff remains at work.
Building services manager Ken Gourlay said, “We’re covering emergency repairs only today so some people will find their request for routine work will have to wait a day or so.
“We’ll be working hard over the next few days to make sure any backlog of work is cleared as quickly as possible.”
No council workers in Perth and Kinross or Angus joined today’s walkout. |
