Trade unions are demanding Nicola Sturgeon intervenes to stop public service workers’ lives being put at risk during the coronavirus pandemic.
Three unions - the GMB, Unite and Unison - wrote to the First Minister to raised concerns one week after sweeping changes to public life.
In a hard-hitting letter, the unions said workers still don’t have enough personal protective equipment (PPE) or testing for Covid-19.
Workers are often unable to observe social distancing, mainly those travelling together in waste services and home care.
Councils still don’t have a clear view of the priority term “key workers”.
And they said all 32 councils need a single approach to waste management.
In a joint statement, they said: “The trade unions appreciate that this is an unprecedented time but the lack of national, consistent, guidance in these areas has the potential to put lives at risk.
“We need a national co-ordinated response – the First Minister needs to lead the effort to ensure that national guidance is both clear and consistently applied by local authorities.”
Unions have been raising concern since day one of a near-lockdown across the UK last week.
GMB organiser Drew Duffy said: "It's time to end the organised chaos in local government.
"Our members need to be as safe as possible while serving on the front line of public service delivery, and they need to be properly valued.
"For weeks we have been pursuing the Scottish Government on these issues - it's high time for an intervention and for proper leadership."
