THE Scottish TUC has called for greater worker protection after workers were “put in harm’s way” by unscrupulous employers during Storm Eowyn.

A new STUC report has shown that workers felt compelled to attend work despite the recent red-alert weather warning for fear of losing wages or losing out on future shifts. 

A survey of 48 workers found 41 critical of their employer’s attitude, and of the 39 required to attend work during the storm 35 believed it unsafe. 

Calling on the Westminster government to follow the Spanish government’s example, offering workers up to four days’ paid leave in severe weather, STUC general secretary Roz Foyers said: “What Storm Eowyn has shown is that workers were deliberately put into harm’s way by employers who couldn’t have cared less about their staff’s safety.

“We cannot have a repeat of workers’ lives being deliberately endangered and government must ensure workers’ rights are enhanced so they can keep safe and protected during severe weather and not at the beck and call of unscrupulous employers.”

The Department for Business and Trade was contacted for comment.