PKC staff worry over hours rise

Proposal for grounds work

Council groundspace workers are said to be ‘up in arms’ after being asked to work additional hours to help senior officials save money.

An anonymous letter sent to the Perthshire Advertiser claims that the council is looking for savings of £120,000, with around 60 grounds staff at the centre of the money-saving effort.

Affected staff currently have a 10.5 hour working arrangement as part of an annualised agreement but are being asked to work 12 hours, which will include weekends.

And the source added that many staff are considering their positions because of the upheaval it could cause for their families and other obligations if it tips their work-life balance.

Perth and Kinross Council says the move is being made to reflect the service’s seasonal needs.

Workers are said to have been concerned about the other implications for workplace fatigue and risks because of the machinery they use.

The letter says that PKC had previously tried to carry out a “failed” best value experiment 20 years ago which affected grounds maintenance staff.

And they also said that the move will disrupt a group of workers but not result in better service delivery.

A spokesperson for the local authority responded: “Over the past few years a number of council services have successfully reviewed the working patterns of staff, to ensure the service is operating when it is most needed. These reviews have brought budget savings without putting jobs at risk.

“We follow a wellestablished process of consultation and discussions with staff and union representatives for any significant changes to working patterns. We are currently working through this process with staff in grounds maintenance.

“The new working pattern reflects the seasonal demands of the service, with slightly longer shifts and fewer consecutive working days during the peak growing seasons, and shorter, more frequent shifts in the quieter periods of the year.”