A pair of local trade union chiefs have called on councillor Jimmy Black to consider his position after comments the councillor made about a perceived lack of basic employability skills possessed by Dundonians.
The SNP Councillor this week told The Courier that he felt that there were still many Dundonians leaving education who were unable to cope with the simplest work place demands.
Mr Black said: “Unless we are successful in getting people up to speed with literacy and IT knowledge and equip them with the right skills then there will be a large number of people excluded from the opportunities this city is providing.
“There are a substantial number of people who still come out of school and cannot cope with anything but the most basic written information.
“There are also a lot of people who have worked all their lives and never used a computer who have now found themselves unemployed.”
The councillor’s comments come as Dundee prepares for the next stage of its £1 billion waterfront regeneration development which is expected to attract a plethora of new offshore renewables, manufacturing and service jobs.
He has now been taken to task by Jim Malone, acting Chair Dundee Labour Trade Union Coordinating Group and Mike Arnott, Secretary of Dundee’s Trades Union Council.
Mr Arnott said: “It was with a feeling of intense disappointment, verging on anger, that I read the city council’s admission that it cannot commit adequate resources to tackle the issue of basic school-leaver literacy in Dundee.
“I would particularly expect those multi-national construction companies hoovering up contracts on the various elements of our £1 billion Waterfront to stand up and be counted on providing jobs and apprenticeships for Dundonians”.
His views were echoed by Mr Malone who argued: “His government have cut the educational opportunities for all Scots, 40,000 less college places 1,500 less teaching staff, in Dundee his administration have shut schools.
“He should seriously consider his position.”
Despite the criticism, councillor Black believes that the duo have “got the wrong end of the stick” and insisted that the SNP are committed to helping people learn new employability skills.
He said: “I have no idea what Mike and Jim are on about.
“My comments were specifically about a lack of qualified people to take up jobs in engineering and software.
“We need to give people the skills they require to fill the jobs the city is providing.
“Dundee has thousands of skilled workers, but there are people who require help in what is a changing job market.”