Staff at Scottish Water have voted overwhelmingly to strike over pay, says UNISON today (Monday).
The union says there will be a ban on overtime and workers will no longer be on standby.
If Scottish Water fails does not get back around the table to discuss an improved wage rise, UNISON says there will be mass walkouts.
Scottish Water has offered employees 3.4% or £1,400, whichever is greater. The union says this does not even begin to compensate workers for a decade of pay cuts and fails to recognise their value.
UNISON Scotland regional organiser Emma Phillips said: “No one wants to disrupt services. Scottish Water staff know the provision of clean, fresh water and dealing with sewage for homes and businesses is vital, but feel they have no choice.
“Their pay has not kept up with inflation over the past 10 years, and most staff get paid less than £31,000 per year. By contrast, senior managers ensure their own annual pay is measured in hundreds of thousands of pounds.
“What’s needed is a sensible solution that gives hard-working staff a pay rise that’s fair.”
UNISON Scottish Water branch secretary Tricia McArthur said: “Scottish Water directors need to come out of their ivory towers and listen to their staff. Employees are sick of being taken for granted and underpaid, while their work is farmed out to private contractors, causing even greater expense for the public.
“Scottish Water is struggling to keep its workforce. It will do a whole lot better in recruiting and keeping them by coming back to the negotiating table with a decent offer.”
Notes to editors:
– UNISON represents more than 1,000 workers at Scottish Water, where it is the largest union.
– UNISON’s strike ballot ran for three weeks and closed today. There was a 69% turnout with 65% of votes in favour of strike action, with 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.