Sport Aberdeen employees are considering industrial action over a withheld pay increase.
Unite the union has confirmed it are consulting with members about whether to pursue a pay dispute.
Aberdeen City Council had agreed funding to honour the COSLA 1% pay award for 2016-17, which applied to council employees.
However, the union has discovered that staff only started receiving the rise on October 1, 2016 – instead of on April 1 – despite Sport Aberdeen having the money available for the increase.
Unite Regional Officer, Tommy Campbell, branded the issue as a “scandal” and called for Sport Aberdeen to release the withheld cash.
He said: “Unite will be consulting our members as a matter of urgency on whether they wish to pursue a pay dispute.
“It is an absolute scandal Sport Aberdeen is deliberately withholding six months’ pay to its employees.
“Aberdeen City Council has made it clear that it provided sufficient funds to enable Sport Aberdeen to award its employees the same as council employees.
“Sport Aberdeen must release this money immediately.
“Unite will be making representations on behalf of our membership to ensure that this happens and they are treated no differently from council employees.
“Furthermore, we will be seeking clarity on whether councillors sitting on Sport Aberdeen’s board supported this decision.”
Sport Aberdeen board member Alan Donnelly said he did not know why pay had been withheld, but pledged staff would not be left out of pocket.
He added: “I will guarantee – as a board member – that any money employees are due will be paid. I’m more than 100% confident that it will happen.”
He also urged employees not to pursue industrial action and said: “That would be a retrograde step – nobody wins if that happens.
“If there are any issues or conflicts, then let’s talk around a table.
“The users of the facilities will not benefit if action is taken and end up losing more money.”