THIRTY recycling workers in Inverclyde could lose their jobs after their employer hit trouble.

Greenlight Environmental, a social enterprise which provides recycling services to Inverclyde Council as well as to West Dunbartonshire and Argyll and Bute Councils, has issued staff with redundancy notices due to the threat of administration.

GMB Scotland, the union for refuse and recycling workers, says the social enterprise is understood to be in crisis due to a loss of contracts from West Dunbartonshire.

It has now called on the three council leaders to urgently intervene to secure local employment and ensure Greenlight continues as a going concern.

Hazel Nolan, GMB Scotland organiser, said: "Greenlight Environmental is a social enterprise employing around a hundred people and with almost three decades experience providing recycling services in the West of Scotland.

"Many of their staff have been recruited through schemes to assist the long-term unemployed and there are serious questions to answer as to how we got to a situation whereby these vulnerable workers are being issued with redundancy notices.

"GMB Scotland are providing support to our Greenlight members and we are calling for urgent action from the councils who have contracts with Greenlight and who have a clear moral duty to act.

"The council leaders must now explore every option available to them including bringing these workers in-house as direct council employees."

Ms Nolan said that unless a rescue package is put together by next Friday then the company will go into administration.

A spokesman for Inverclyde Council said they are working with the other two councils to find a solution for the local staff, who work at a centre based in Ingleston Park in the east end.

He said: “We were shocked to learn yesterday that Greenlight are going into administration as we highly value this organisation for providing excellent services to Inverclyde over many years.

"We are working closely with colleagues in other councils who rely on Greenlight to see what options are available to us.

"Clearly we will do all we can to assist but it is too early to say what the outcome of discussions will be."

The Tele asked Greenlight Environmental for a comment but no-one from the organisation responded.