Union to ballot Scottish Water staff on industrial action in pay dispute
Unite said the company had failed to make a ‘fair and decent’ pay offer to its members.
Staff at Scottish Water are set to vote on industrial action after pay talks collapsed.
Unite said the move comes after the company failed to make a “fair and decent” pay offer to its members, while at the same time awarding “eye-watering packages” to company bosses.
The union also said a “botched” job evaluation process carried out by the company had seen a number of staff downgraded.
Unite represents 500 workers at the company, including waste water operatives, water treatment and burst repair operatives, maintenance engineers, electricians and sewage tanker drivers.
It warned that industrial action by its members would directly impact Scottish Water’s ability to respond to water leakages, flooding.
Sharon Graham, Unite general secretary, said: “Scottish Water has failed to make our members a fair and decent pay offer.
“Contrast this management snub with the eye-watering packages its executive team members are dishing out to themselves.
“Unite will fully support our members in the fight for better jobs, pay and conditions at Scottish Water.”
The union said that in October Scottish Water made staff a basic pay offer of 3.4%, with a minimum increase of £1,200, which it said was “overwhelmingly rejected” by its membership.
It said the company then proposed an additional £200 but that this offer was also rejected “outright” by the union.
Sam Ritchie, Unite industrial officer, said: “Scottish Water’s executive team appear too preoccupied with awarding themselves bonus and pension top-ups to make our members a decent pay offer.
“Unite has no option but to ballot our members on industrial action because Scottish Water is ignoring our members’ reasonable demands.
“To add insult to injury, there is a botched job evaluation process ongoing which is leading to many of our members losing pay through being downgraded.
“That is unacceptable and we will fight back against this culture of arrogance at Scottish Water.”
The union said industrial action could involve strike action, working to rule or working only to contracted hours.
It added that Scottish Water “relies heavily” on workers doing overtime, and that without this it would need to make “substantial payments” to contractors to undertake outstanding remedial works.
A Scottish Water spokesperson said: “Our proposal for an annual pay award for 2024/25 builds on the uplift and significant improvement to terms and conditions agreed last year with the trade unions.
“We are disappointed that the unions have not put our increased offer to their members and believe that balloting for industrial action is premature.
“We encourage the unions to engage with us.”
