Labour councillor slams SNP council's 'fire and rehire' scheme

She told The Herald: “The SNP administration at Aberdeen City Council have put public services at risk by maintaining their fire and rehire proposals which will seriously undermine the confidence our employees have in the council. 

The local authority’s proposed reduction of the working week from 37 to 35 hours has led prominent trade unions to ballot their members for industrial action.

Unite the Union announced plans to ballot more than 700 council workers on Friday, three weeks after the GMB union launched a similar consultation of its members in early March. 

The potential cuts come weeks after the council passed its budget for the 2025/26 financial year.

Labour councillor Deena Tissera. (Image: Supplied) Tissera added: “It is clear to me that industrial action will take place if the SNP do not change their stance on fire and rehire. Our employees are our most valued asset and no other Scottish council has agreed to fire and rehire with the SNP in Aberdeen being an outlier council on fire and rehire. 

“The £5m to stop this proposal can be found as Labour did for its budget, this is now about a political choice and it is the SNP that is choosing to implement fire and rehire.”

GMB Scotland General Secretary Louise Gilmour told The Herald: “Council workers in Aberdeen have every right to feel failed and betrayed by every councillor refusing to withdraw these threats.

“It beggars belief that any local authority would think this is an acceptable way to treat staff.

She added: “Giving staff the choice of accepting a new contract or redundancy is no choice at all.

Aberdeen City Council passed its budget in early March. (Image: NQ) “It is a threat. It is bullying and it is intimidation and no decent employer, in the public
or the private sector, would even consider it.

“Councils should be looking to the best employers for inspiration not the worst and
most unscrupulous.”

However, council leader Christian Allard of the SNP said any such plan would be a last resort.

He said: “Dismissal and re-engagement has not been suggested by Aberdeen City Council during any consultation, engagement or discussions that have been taking place. 
  
“Whilst it is one possible lawful route to implementing a contractual change, the Council would not consider dismissal and re-engagement without having exhausted all possible other routes. 

“Officials continue to work towards reaching an agreement through this consultation process with employees and trade unions, whose feedback has already improved and amended the original proposal.”

Council leader Christian Allard (Image: PA) Social work staff at the council have also raised concerns, with the local branch of the Social Workers Union (SWU) saying the local authority is not engaging with their members.

John McGowan, General Secretary of SWU, commented: “This is a step in the wrong direction at a time when services have already been cut to the bone. Social workers need more support with large and increasingly complex caseloads, not to have their hours cut – especially during a cost-of-living crisis. 

“Flexible working solutions such as part-time roles and job sharing could help to fill staff vacancies and ease budget pressures as well as supporting social workers to thrive
 in the workplace. 

“However, this must be a collaborative process and should not have staff concerned about their pensions or the security of their jobs. 

“The issues caused by the significant vacancy rate in social work teams in Aberdeen will only be compounded by this proposed change to current staff’s terms and conditions.

“The lack of engagement from the council is disappointing and we would still very much welcome the opportunity to meet, clarify, and discuss.”