Evening Telegraph (First Edition)
Concern over wage ‘gap growth’ stats
Stewart Fairweather, Dundee branch chairman of the union Unite, made the comments after a Tele investigation found the council’s top earners are earning record salaries.
Information obtained through a Freedom of Information request showed that 172 council staff members earned more than £50,000 last year — six more than the previous year. Between them, the 172 staff raked in £10,443,783 in 2015/16 — an increase of £370,889 compared with the year before.
The figure is also £2,237,015 more than the wage bill in 2011/12 — a 27% increase in five years.
One council employee earned between £135k and £139k last year, the first time a salary of this range has been paid.
Mr Fairweather said: “There’s considerable concern that there’s a growing gap between the highest and lowest-paid at the council. “This news exasperates the fact that it’s difficult for people on the highest wages to understand the challenges those on the lowest wages face.
“This comes during a period where many staff are being asked to take on additional burden and extend their workload to compensate when staff are leaving but are not replaced.”
Labour MSP for North East Scotland Jenny Marra said she felt lower-paid staff were an “easy target”. She added that, given the pressure being put on the lowest-paid workers, a 27% increase in senior management pay over the last five years is “very unfair”.
Ms Marra said: “I’m becoming increasingly concerned hard-working staff, many of whom are the lowest-paid in the council, are regularly seen as an easy target.”
However, finance spokesman Willie Sawers defended the local authority.
He said: “Dundee City Council values the contribution our employees make and recognises the hard work they carry out on behalf of the people of Dundee.
“We are proud to be a Living Wage employer and, in partnership with the Scottish Government, extended the living wage to nearly 1,000 staff who carry out home care work for older people in the city.
“Despite the challenging economic climate we have also progressed our Modern Apprenticeship programme.”
A TRADE union boss has warned of the “growing gap” between staff salaries in Dundee City Council.