Union Unite is to take legal action against Carillion after the firm failed to give thousands of Scottish workers notice of possible redundancies to its workforce.

Earlier this week, the industry services giant collapsed into administration, putting 20,000 jobs at risk in the UK.

However, Unite said under current Labour laws, employers with a workforce more than 20 workers at one location are legally obliged to give employees 30 days' notice of possible redundancies.

As a result, the union said it will take legal action to preserve workers' rights "in the face of the irresponsible actions of Carillion directors".

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However, the exact number of jobs which are under threat cannot be determined as the firm failed in its legal obligations to give notice of possible redundancies.

Unite's Scottish Secretary Pat Rafferty said: "Given today's (15 December) drastic events it's clear that Carillion was legally obliged to give notice to the workforce in December of the possibility of  redundancies.

"It hasn't done that. So Unite is taking advice about legal action to secure the pay and pension rights of our members. Obviously saving jobs is the priority but we also have to make sure that workers don't pay the price for what is boardroom greed and recklessness."

Mr Rafferty continued: "This is what happens after years of worship at the Holy Grail of privatisation. It starts with the mistaken belief that private provision is best and ends with the tax payer picking up a billion pound tab when reality proves that is not true.

"There needs to be a government inquiry to establish just what went wrong at Carillion so that lessons can be learned. Meantime the administrators have to determine what contracts held by Carillion can be brought into public control."

(LM)