More than 300 Dundee City Council workers will strike from next month.
Unite the Union says staff have voted in favour of taking action in a dispute over plans to outsource some trade services.
A total of 95% of balloted workers – about 320 staff members – backed the move.
Staff involved include joiners, plumbers, electricians, labourers and scaffolders based at premises on Clepington Road and Dunsinane Industrial Estate.
The council said no jobs will be lost through outsourcing.
But Unite says outsourcing work will be damaging to council staff and members of the public as money made would no longer be reinvested into the authority’s public purse.
The body also argued it would be harder to hold staff accountable for work if they are not employed by the council.
When will staff strike?
Strike action will start on April 4, running until April 28, with more action to be carried out in rounds of daily action until June 23.
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “This huge vote in favour of strike action demonstrates that Unite’s members are not going to accept Dundee City Council’s plans to outsource trades services.
“There is overwhelming evidence that privatisation of public services only makes things worse for workers and for the public.
“The council now needs to drop this ruinous proposal.
“Unite will stand up for our members in this fight to protect decent pay, jobs and conditions, and ultimately, a good public service for the people of Dundee.”
Unite industrial officer George Ramsay called the plans “as bewildering as they are counterproductive”.
“A good public service is being provided to the people of Dundee, and any profits are reinvested or given to the council to aid the wider budget.
“The plans to outsource will only profit private contractors.
“Unite will not allow these plans to go unopposed and we will fight them every step of the way.”
Council responds to strike plans
A spokesperson for Dundee City Council said: “We are aware of the ballot and continue to engage constructively with trade union representatives.
“It’s important to stress that none of the 320 roles at construction services is at risk from being outsourced.
“The council is focused on supporting construction services’ modernisation and is investing heavily in staff development through its training and apprenticeship programme, by creating permanent jobs locally in Dundee, modernising IT systems to deliver a better customer service and investing in working conditions within its depot.
“Further discussions on the issues raised will be had in the coming days.”
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