Walkout will hit all services at Scottish Water – unions

Company can afford to offer more than 2.4% pay increase, angry workers claim

By Tim Pauling

Published:

Unions have predicted that all services at Scottish Water will be hit when members stage a 24-hour strike over pay today.

More than 1,000 members of Unison with members of Unite and the GMB are due to walk out at noon.

Staff are upset at a pay award worth 2.4% over 12 months.

Scottish Water claims it was the best it could offer under public-sector pay guidelines and equates to 3% over 15 months. The company’s 3,685 staff received the increase in their September salaries, backdated to April.

The unions believe Scottish Water can afford to pay more, especially when inflation is running at twice the rate of the pay offer.

Unison organiser in Scotland Dave Watson said in recent years its members had helped Scottish Water save more than £1billion through reducing operating costs and efficiencies.

“Customers and directors have benefited, while workers have faced real terms pay cuts due to inflation,” he said. “Scottish Water has the money to make a reasonable pay deal – the problem is the Scottish Government is blocking them from doing so.”

Last night Unison was still urging management to try to avert industrial action.

Unison’s main negotiator Dougie Black said: “It is unfortunate that Scottish Water has not taken the chance to reconsider the issue prior to the action. Clearly it is an issue which our members feel very strongly about.

“I would invite Scottish Water and the Scottish Government, even at this late stage, to come back to the negotiating table.”

Unison predicted services throughout the company would be hit as its members work in all areas including water and sewage treatment, water and sewer networks, laboratories, call centres and the design and construction of capital works. Scottish Water reassured customers that contingency plans had been put in place to ensure normal service.

Scottish Water’s customer service delivery director, Peter Farrer, said: “We have a committed team in place, determined to maintain a normal service for our customers. I am confident we can continue to deliver this.”

Communications director Chris Wallace said management were deeply disappointed that the unions were going out on strike because they had been in continuous talks between both sides for a considerable time.

“We are aware of the demands on everyone’s pay in today’s tough economic climate, but we believe that we have given the best possible deal under the circumstances,” he said.

“This is the only pay award that we could give under public sector guidelines.

“Our immediate focus right now is about maintaining a normal service and minimising any potential effect on customers of this action.

“After that, obviously we would want dialogue to ensure that our business moves forward and continues to deliver benefits to our customers.”