Jobs at historic sites will be affected
Union bosses are to fight to save jobs at Scotland’s most historic landmarks.
A restructure by conservation charity the National Trust for Scotland will see 79 jobs shed with 20 of these posts going from historic estates.
Prospect, the union representing scientists, engineers and managers believe sites such as Brodick Castle on the Isle of Arran have been earmarked for job losses.
Union organisers have written to Fergus Ewing MSP objecting to the job losses saying they will have a "disproportionate impact".
Many of the jobs concern rangers who Rangers currently provide a vital role in maintaining estates and relationships with tourists, local communities and schools.
Ian Perth, Prospect negotiations officer, said: “While we respect an organisation, like the trust, needs to consider changes from time to time, employers can do this by working in partnership with their staff. Instead it seems the trust are proposing to delete 78 roles, and create over 60 new job titles.
“Our union want the trust to be successful and viable but compulsory redundancy is a very blunt instrument and should be used very sparingly by when spending charity funds. Organisations should try to make changes in partnership with staff.”
Stuart Maxwell, the National Trust for Scotland’s General Manager for Ayrshire & Arran said: “As many people will be aware, Brodick Castle has been closed for some time as we carry out important works to improve fire safety.
"This has given us time to re-think the visitor journey through the Castle and how we interpret and present it. Our intention is to invest further in what is effectively a five-star visitor attraction that better serves the unique history of the castle and its surroundings.
“As Brodick Castle is closed for a longer period of refurbishment than initially planned, and will not open before Summer 2018 at the earliest, we are taking the opportunity to apply our new thinking now.
"We are planning a visitor experience that will be vastly different than hitherto and the new staff roles we propose will also be vastly different.
“Regrettably, this does mean that we have to put existing and long-term seasonal staff at risk of redundancy, but we need to change our approach at Brodick and hope that as many of the affected people as possible can find new roles.”
