Scottish Council workers warned six sick days could lead to chop

Council workers who keep taking sick days have been threatened with the sack as part of a get-tough policy by their public sector employers.

Staff members at Tayside Contracts have been warned that more than six sick days in a year could lead to dismissal. Picture: Ian Rutherford

Staff members at Tayside Contracts – the trading arm of Dundee, Angus, and Perth and Kinross Councils – received letters from managing director Ian Waddell before Christmas telling them that if the absentee rate remains above 2.1 per cent, equivalent to six days a year, then they could be dismissed.

The letter informs workers that if their absentee rates do not improve they will be sent a second warning letter and then if there is still no improvement they will be dismissed.

Mr Waddell said the letters were part of the company’s standard way of managing staff absences.

He said: “In 2014 we had discussion with the unions about how we manage sickness absences.

“One of the things that came out of that was that some people were falling through the cracks with absences, so if someone is absent on three occasions in a year or six days we look at the reasons of their absences and then go through a process to improve attendance levels.

Mr Waddell said staff absences through illness were “a considerable cost” to Tayside Contracts, and so reducing rates of absenteeism was vital.

He stressed there was no plan to use absenteeism to reduce staffing levels, and that people who might be off for an extended period of time due to a serious illness or injury had nothing to fear.

He said: “We look at their lifetime average for attendance, so that works for staff if they have been here for a long period of time. If they have had a long absence their average is not that greatly affected.”

The letter has caused a major row. One employee, who asked not to be named, said: “I know of three people who have received letters. It looks like a fly way of getting rid of people without having to pay redundancy.”

Trade union official Jim McFarlane of Unison said: “We would have concerns about anyone who was feeling threatened and would be looking for the employer to put support in place.”

Last month, Mr Waddell warned that his organisation might have to consider voluntary redundancies because of cuts to council budgets