Dundee will ‘rally round’ laid-off staff

Council leader John Alexander said: “This is a real and bitter blow for the 99 staff and their families. I’m gutted for every one of the workers and my heart goes out to them.

“I have been in contact with the council’s city development team who have the responsibility for economic development to see how we can support staff going forward.

“I’ve also been in touch with the Dundee and Angus Chamber of Commerce to seek their support to link in with their members.

“We will rally around those that have lost their jobs. We have a number of initiatives in operation to support people throughout Dundee into employment and this is no different.”

Dundee’s city development convener Lynne Short said: “It is sad and disappointing when a business goes into administration because with that goes the livelihoods, of in this case, somewhere in the region of 90 people.

“The council and its partners are currently looking at a number of practical ways that we can support the former employees of Scottish Electrical Group. That work is ongoing.”

Dundee West MP Chris Law said: “This is obviously devastating news for the people who are losing their jobs, and their families and my thoughts and sympathies are with them.

“In the meantime, I know that the Scottish Government PACE (Partner- ship Action for Continuing Employment) team will swing into action to help in any way they can.”

Labour’s city development spokesman Richard McCready said he hopes laid off staff can be hired to take part in ongoing construction projects across Dundee.

He said: “There is a lot of construction work going on in Dundee just now. It is important that as much of that work as is possible goes to Dundee based firms so that the investment benefits the wider economy of the city.

“Scottish Electric were working on the new railway station and we should be doing what we can to try and get the workers who have lost their jobs at Scottish Electric to continue to work on the railway station.”

North East MSP Bill Bowman said he hopes the fact the newly unemployed workers come from a skilled background makes it easier for them to reenter the labour market.

He said: “This is another bitter jobs blow for Dundee just two months since the announcement that 250 posts would go at Lloyds Banking Group.

“The Tay Cities Deal is very much focused on job creation, but I think we need more detail on exactly how the proposals will address unemployment, particularly in key areas such as manufacturing.

“It is also imperative that efforts to secure decommissioning work from the North Sea oil and gas industry also continue apace.”