Electricians are being bussed to jobs at a Dundee multi by security staff amid claims they have faced threats from residents.
Tradespeople walked off a job at Elders Court in Lochee earlier this month, after one was reportedly threatened with violence by someone living in the block.
It was one in a series of incidents that led to the council workers downing tools.
Now security has been ramped up to allow the electricians to return to the flats.
George Ramsay, industrial officer for the Unite union – which represents several of the workers – says the sparkies will return to Elders Court next week with the new measures in place.
Union hits out at ‘sad state of affairs’
He said: “Unite electricians walked off this site due to the aggressive behaviour of some tenants, which included threats of violence.
“We have been in talks with management and have agreed a way forward to return to the site.
“This includes full-time site management.
“Our members are to be bussed to the site by a security firm and protection is being provided around the site facilities.
“It is a pretty sad state of affairs.
“Unite will, however, protect our members from any hazards at a workplace and we will not standby or tolerate workers being threatened.
“Dundee City Council management have recognised the problems at these high-rise buildings and in co-operation with ourselves we have a return next week arranged to the site.”
A source told The Courier workers felt it was the “final straw” after an incident earlier this month, during which a resident allegedly complained about the noise being made.
Council ‘aware’ of incident involving electricians at Elders Court
They said: “These workers are going in to carry out improvements at the multi and it’s not acceptable that they don’t feel safe.
“The incident in question wasn’t happening during anti-social working hours, either.
“I don’t blame the workers for walking off the job.”
A spokesman confirmed Dundee City Council is “aware of an incident occurring at Elders Court” and says it is being investigated by police.
He added: “We have currently paused maintenance at the location and are in the process of reviewing additional security measures for this kind of work.”
