By Stuart Gillespie
Up to 100 workers who help maintain key roads in Dumfries and Galloway are facing the axe. The Unite union claims roads maintenance firm Amey is looking at axing jobs from the workforce assigned to its south west Scotland trunk roads contract. That includes staff who look after major Dumfries and Galloway roads such as the M74, A75, A76, A77 and A701. Unite industrial officer, David McGurk, said: 鈥淯nite 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. 鈥淯nite will do all we can to support these highly skilled workers who are ensuring that our nation鈥檚 infrastructure is safe, reliable and up to the highest possible standard. 鈥淲e 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.鈥 A spokeswoman for Amey said: 鈥淒ue 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. 鈥淎 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.鈥 South Scotland Labour MSP Carol Mochan raised the matter with John Swinney during First Minister鈥檚 Questions at Holyrood on Thursday. She said: 鈥淭he A77 is one of the most dangerous roads in Scotland and causes constant disruption to the economy of the south west due to its poor state of repair. My constituents have frequent lengthy waits at road works and often face miles of diversions. 鈥淲ill 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?鈥 Mr Swinney replied: 鈥淚 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鈥檚 fair work principles. Click here for more news and sport from Dumfries and Galloway. 鈥淚 understand the importance of Carol Mochan鈥檚 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. 鈥淚 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.鈥 A spokesman for Transport Scotland added: 鈥淲e have been made aware of the situation at Amey and are awaiting further details of the confidential process they are currently undertaking. 鈥淚t is essential that a robust level of service is maintained as part of our maintenance contract in the south west trunk road unit.鈥