Dundee residents are being warned of “significant disruption” as over 300 council construction workers prepare to strike.
The strikes, which will begin on Tuesday, will see some of the council’s construction services suspended.
Industrial action is expected to last until April 28, with more walk outs planned until the end of June.
Unite have lodged the dispute over plans to outsource some services.
How will you be affected?
A number of council services will be suspended during the industrial action, which could affect council tenants and others.
Emergency repairs to housing and and gas services are expected to operate as usual during the strikes, but non-urgent work to housing and council buildings is likely to be called off.
It means repairs scheduled during the strike action which are not classed as an emergency may be rescheduled.
The industrial action is also likely to create a backlog, which the council website says may take “some time” to clear.
The full list of services impacted by the strikes is:
- Non-emergency repairs to housing and council buildings
- Capital work – including the roof remediation programme
- Lift servicing and maintenance
- External cyclical maintenance
- Disabled adaptations
- Electrical communal supply
- Various planned works across the Council’s multi-storey properties
- Relet works
- Electrical inspections.
Over 300 workers chose to back the strike in a ballot.
Staff involved include joiners, plumbers, electricians, labourers and scaffolders based at premises on Clepington Road and Dunsinane Industrial Estate.
Union bosses promise to fight for members
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “Unite’s trades workers at Dundee City Council are determined to hold management to account over outsourcing plans.
“The strike action will initially last for three weeks before further action is taken unless the council drop this disastrous proposal.
“Unite will stand up for the jobs, pay and conditions of our members, and we will fight to ensure these services remain in public hands.”
Unite industrial officer Bob Macgregor, added: “We need cast-iron guarantees that there are no proposals by Dundee City Council to outsource any services to private contractors.
“It is a blatant failure on the part of council management to acknowledge the genuine concerns of the workforce including what we believe is the inappropriate monitoring of council vehicles.
“Unite will fight for our members every step of the way.”
Council has ‘no plans’ to outsource roles
A spokesperson for Dundee City Council apologised for any inconvenience.
They added: “We remain in dialogue with trade union representatives to reach a resolution on the issues raised, and continue to believe they can be resolved without the need for strike action.
“We are committed to investing in and modernising the council’s construction services to provide the service the public expects.”
This includes dealing with the “significant backlog” of repairs which built up as a result of Covid-19.
The council says this is why subcontractors have been brought in to “supplement” its 320-strong workforce.
“There are no plans to outsource these roles,” a spokesperson added:
“The service will always work to ensure in-house tradespeople are given the right skills, resources and management support to do the job.
“Our fleet vehicle tracking policy is implemented across all council services and has been in place for a number of years to safeguard staff, manage our fleet as efficiently as possible and ensure best value for service delivery to the residents of Dundee.”
Conversation