Dozens of road maintenance workers based in Inverness have voted to take industrial action, threatening disruption on key routes including the A9 from Perth to Inverness.
The action follows a pay dispute between Unite the union and Bear Scotland, which maintains trunk roads across central and northern Scotland.
The workers, many of whom are responsible for road safety and maintenance during severe autumn and winter weather, have rejected a pay offer they say falls short of industry standards.
Unite says Bear Scotland offered to raise the lowest hourly rate from £12 to £12.75, with higher grades rising by just £1 per hour, including the top rate going from £13.25 to £14.25.
By comparison, similar roles at other road maintenance firms are reportedly paying up to £16 an hour.
“Unite’s members based in Inverness who work every day in every type of weather are being paid at an unacceptably low level,” said Sharon Graham, general secretary of Unite.
“Bear Scotland is a profitable company, and it can easily afford to pay our members a decent rate.
“We will back our members all the way in their fight for better jobs, pay and conditions.”
The company reported a profit of £3.7 million in its latest accounts for the year ending 2024.
Much of the ongoing road maintenance work is tied to the A9 Dualling programme, a multi-billion-pound upgrade that will convert the single carriageway between Perth and Inverness into dual carriageway by 2035.
Unite industrial officer Marc Jackson warned that any strike action could have serious impact during the coming months.
“These workers are essential to one of the nation’s key transport infrastructure upgrades, yet they are being treated poorly by Bear Scotland and paid well below workers at other maintenance companies,” he said.
“This cash-rich company needs to get back round the negotiating table with an improved pay offer.
“If they don’t, industrial action during bad weather when these workers are needed most will be inevitable and entirely Bear Scotland’s fault.”
A similar pay dispute last year involving road workers in the Highlands was resolved before industrial action took place.
