Demoralised Dundee Greenkeepers Call For Clarity

Demoralised Greenkeepers Call For Clarity On Future Of Dundee’s Public Golf Courses

Demoralised greenkeepers employed by Leisure and Culture Dundee (LACD), fear pay cuts and redundancies against the backdrop of privatisation plans for the city’s two public golf courses.

Management at the Dundee City Council arms length organisation are currently market testing for private operators to run the Caird Park and Camperdown courses, with a tendering process due to close on Wednesday 11 January 2017.

GMB Scotland is now calling on LACD to provide staff with answers over the publicly owned future of the courses as well as its plans to safeguard the jobs and wages of over 20 local workers.

GMB Scotland Organiser Helen Meldrum said: “There has been a clear failure on the part of LACD to fully consult with our members over the future of the city’s public golf courses and with it the livelihoods of the staff. 

We have no idea what the level of private interest has been but our real worry is whether there would be any interest in maintaining the existing workforce and the terms and conditions of their employment. 

Our members are demoralised; they have been contending with years of under-investment and feel they are being hung out to dry by management in their efforts to provide the Dundee public with a great golfing experience.

It wasn’t that long ago that Dundee used to have some of the busiest golf courses in Europe but now it seems all LACD are focused on is the management of their decline.”

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Contact: GMB Scotland Organiser Helen Meldrum on 07958 156838 or Peter Welsh, GMB Scotland Communications, on 07976 447077.