Ayrshire road maintenance jobs at risk as Amey plan cuts
Road maintenance workers in Ayrshire could be facing redundancy after trunk road operator Amey announced job cuts.
The firm has began a 45-day consultation period with "a very small proportion of employees" after an operation review of their business.
Up to 100 workers could be made redundant across Southwest Scotland including many in Ayrshire as a result of the plans.
Unite the Union have said that they will "do all we can" to support the people affected and have called on Transport Secretary Fiona Hyslop to take action.
Transport Scotland have said they are aware of the situation but are awaiting further details from Amey.
South Scotland MSP Carol Mochan raised the issue at First Minister's Questions last week and highlighted the A77, one of the trunk roads maintained by Amey, as "one of the most dangerous roads in Scotland".
Ms Mochan has also said she will fight to ensure no one employed by Amey in Southwest Scotland loses their job.
Speaking in the Scottish Parliament, she said: 'The First Minister might be aware that Amey plans to make up to 100 road maintenance workers in Ayrshire and Dumfries and Galloway redundant.
'Those workers are funded by a Scottish Government contract. The A77 is one of the most dangerous roads in Scotland and causes constant disruption to the economy of the southwest due to its poor state of repair.
'My constituents have frequent lengthy waits at road works and often face miles of diversions.
'Will the First Minister travel that road with me and explain to my constituents why 100 workers who should be helping to maintain that important road are losing their jobs?'
In response, First Minister John Swinney said: 'I understand that those issues are the subject of consultation between Amey and the relevant trade unions.
'I want to make sure that that consultation is done properly and in accordance with the Government's fair work principles. I understand the importance of Carol Mochan's point, but there is a process to go through on those issues, and the outcome that will be achieved through that might not be the one that Carol Mochan fears.
'I will ask the Cabinet Secretary for Transport to consider the issues that have been raised and to reply to Carol Mochan about how those points can be properly and fully addressed.'
David McGurk, Unite industrial officer, said: "Unite has been informed by Amey that up to 100 jobs are at immediate risk. The workers are currently employed on a road maintenance contract funded by Transport Scotland and directly supported by the Scottish Government across Dumfries and Galloway, Glasgow and Ayrshire.
"Unite will do all we can to support these highly skilled workers who are ensuring that our nation's infrastructure is safe, reliable and up to the highest possible standard.
"We have asked Fiona Hyslop, the Cabinet Secretary for Transport and Infrastructure, for action from government to ascertain what can be done to save these jobs including an immediate review of the contracts awarded to Amey."
A spokesperson for Amey said: 'Due to the changing needs in the delivery of the service we have reviewed the operational structure of the business. As a result, Amey has entered a 45-day consultation process with a number of employees on our South-West Scotland Network Management contract.
'A very small proportion of employees will be impacted with most of these achieved through the offer of voluntary redundancy.
'We will continue to deliver value for money services and will work closely with all affected employees and trade union representatives to ensure the consultation is fair, transparent, and supportive.'
A Transport Scotland spokesperson said: 'We have been made aware of the situation at Amey and are awaiting further details of the confidential process they are currently undertaking.
'It is essential that a robust level of service is maintained as part of our maintenance contract in the South West trunk road unit.'
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