Scottish Water workers are to go on strike for 24 hours from the early hours of tomorrow morning (Friday) after staff voted overwhelmingly for action, says UNISON today (Thursday)
Scotland’s largest union, UNISON, says the strike will lead to disruption to water and sewage systems across the country.
Emergency repairs won’t be done nor will water quality checks. If people report problems with their water supply, sewage or drainage, complaints won’t be dealt with until the strike is over (on Saturday).
Scottish Water has offered employees a wage increase this year of 2.6% or £1,050, whichever is the higher amount. The union says this does not even begin to compensate workers for a decade of pay cuts and fails to recognise the valuable jobs they do.
UNISON Scotland regional organiser Emma Phillips said: “These staff work incredibly hard to keep Scotland’s water clean. It’s no wonder they’re so dismayed by Scottish Water’s dirty tactics.
“Employees are sick of being taken for granted and underpaid, while their work is farmed out to private contractors, at even greater expense to the public.
“Workers have suffered a decade of pay cuts and wages haven’t kept up with inflation. Staff have been left feeling undervalued, and the company is struggling to retain its workforce. Things need to change, and that must start today.”
Branch secretary for UNISON Scottish Water Tricia McArthur said: “Strike action is always a last resort and no one wants to see services disrupted. But staff feel they’ve been left with no choice.
“Industrial relations at Scottish Water are at an all-time low. The workforce is being run down and under-utilised while work is transferred – at an increased cost – to private contractors. This is backdoor privatisation.
“Scottish Water workers deserve to be paid fairly for the services they provide. It’s important this vital publicly-owned service that so many rely on is protected, as are its dedicated workforce.”
Notes to editors:
– UNISON represents more than 1,000 workers at Scottish Water, where it is the largest union.
– Strikes start at 00.01hrs on Friday 28 March and pickets will assemble from 7am at Scottish Water’s Shieldhall offices, adjacent to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, 38 Renfrew Road Glasgow G51 4SU.
– UNISON’s strike ballot took place last month (February). There was a 69% turnout, with 65% of votes in favour of strike action, and 73% backing action short of a strike.
– UNISON is Scotland’s largest union, with more than 150,000 members providing public services in education, local government, the NHS, police service and energy. They are employed in the public, voluntary and private sectors.