Scottish Water staff plan seven-day strike after pay offer rejected

Scottish Water staff are to strike for another seven days after they rejected the latest pay offer.

Workers represented by the GMB, Unite and Unison unions announced on Friday they have rejected a 3.4% pay increase, and will now take subsequent action “to demand the fair deal they deserve”.

Strikes will begin on Monday and will continue throughout the week, with the last day being Sunday June 8. It follows two prior days of industrial action in April.

In a marginal majority, 51% of Unison workers employed by the water supplier voted to reject the pay offer, and 49% voted to accept. The turnout was 86%.

GMB said 60% of its members voted against the offer, and 40% chose to accept, on a turnout of 78%.

Unite’s statistics were not available.

Scottish Water said it had made a “strong offer that is comfortably above inflation”.

The upcoming strikes are expected to disrupt emergency repairs, testing and maintenance, and a joint union demonstration will take place outside Scottish Water’s Shieldhall offices in Glasgow on Wednesday.

Unison Scottish Water branch secretary Patricia McArthur said: “Staff are extremely frustrated. They deserve better than game-playing by senior Scottish Water managers.

“The company seems more interested in spending public money on anti-union tactics than in finding a solution to this pay dispute.

“Its managers proposed a possible pay offer, but then retracted it, only to come up with something much worse.”

Unison Scotland regional manager Simon Macfarlane added: “The latest pay offer falls far short of what other public sector workers in Scotland have received. Scottish Water staff will now form picket lines across the country to demand the fair deal they deserve.”

GMB Scotland accused Scottish Water bosses of making the strikes an inevitability after pay talks faltered.

Claire Greer, GMB Scotland organiser in Scottish Water, has now written to Gillian Martin, the acting Secretary for Net Zero and Energy, detailing concern about the dispute.

She said: “Doing the same thing again and again and expecting a different result is both the definition of madness and Scottish Water’s idea of industrial relations.

“The company has allowed these negotiations to stumble on for months when a simple, transparent and fair pay offer would have been welcomed by our members and averted industrial action.

“Scottish Water’s refusal to engage with negotiations in a serious and uncomplicated way has led us here and, unless that changes, the dispute will continue and industrial action will escalate.”

Sam Ritchie, industrial officer for Unite, said: “Unite’s 500-strong membership at Scottish Water have overwhelmingly rejected the latest wage offer. It only amounted to an extra £250 over two years, which is unacceptable.

“Management also withdrew an offer to increase a performance-related bonus which could boost pay by a further £200, which has further infuriated the workforce. Over nine months Scottish Water has had the opportunity to make a fair and reasonable offer to our members, and they have consistently refused to do so.

“The chief executive, Alex Plant, has refused to become involved in pay negotiations while walking away with a publicly funded remuneration package totalling £483,000.”

Scottish Water says it made the pay offer in line with the unions’ recommendations.

Chief operating officer Peter Farrer said: “There is no need for next week’s industrial action to go ahead.

“Scottish Water has made a strong offer that is comfortably above inflation.

“It is now time for the unions to come forward with a proposal that is fair for workers, customers, and the future of the business.

“We’re ready to meet at any time this weekend. It is in everyone’s interests to avoid next week’s strike.

“If it goes ahead, those who take part in the industrial action will lose valuable wages and an essential service will be put under unnecessary pressure.

“In the meantime, we have robust plans in place to maintain essential services should the trade unions press ahead with their strike action.”