Scottish Water warned of further strikes unless pay dispute resolved

Bosses at Scottish Water have been warned more strikes could be on the way if an improved pay offer is not made as workers say they have been made to feel “worthless” by the company.

Unite, Unison and GMB Scotland members braved wet and windy weather on Friday as they launched a 24-hour walkout, with pickets staged outside Scottish Water offices in Edinburgh, Inverness, Stirling and Dundee, and at waste water treatment works in Glasgow, Ayrshire and Lanarkshire.

Management was told that unless it makes workers a “reasonable” and “fair” offer, staff will take part in sustained and continued strikes, threatening to disrupt emergency repairs, testing and maintenance.

Unite has previously accused executives of using talks through conciliation service Acas as a means to “water down” a pay offer made to the workforce and fall back on an offer made last year which the union considers to be “inferior”.

The union argues the latest offer amounts to a basic pay rise of 3.4%, or £1,050 for those on the lowest grades of pay, over a nine-month period.

Riki Hill, Unite convener at Scottish Water, told the PA news agency as he joined workers on the picket line in Govan, Glasgow: “This is initial action and if they don’t get around the table this could be a sustained strike.

“They [workers] feel like they have been treated very unfairly, they feel as if they are worthless.

“The offer, again, is one of the lowest in the public sector and it’s, again, well below the average wage earnings for 2024.”

Unison said it has calculated the offer to amount to a wage increase this year of 2.6% or £1,050, whichever is the higher amount.

Emma Phillips, regional organiser for Unison, said staff are “angry” at the disparity between the pay of workers and Scottish Water executives.

“The pay offer is not enough,” she said. “It’s below inflation, once again, from Scottish Water and this is at the same time that senior management are getting massive pay rises.

“They use Scottish Water as their own piggy bank to make themselves rich and don’t give any of their staff a decent pay rise.

“If Scottish Water do not change their mind there will be further strike action.”

Claire Greer, GMB Scotland organiser, said strikes are a “last resort” after pay talks failed to reach an agreement.

“We are now at a point where our members are looking for action,” she said. “They’re looking for something else to be done.

“The only way to get Scottish Water’s attention at the moment is to make them realise how much work our members do. So the withdrawal of labour is where we are today.

“We’re looking for an honest offer for an honest day’s work for our members who make sure that Scotland’s water keeps flowing through our pipes.”

Scottish Water said its latest pay offer of 3.4%, or at least £1,400 in 2024/25, is above inflation and that for some lower-paid employers it would amount to a 5.5% rise.

A spokesperson said: “No-one benefits from industrial action and our focus is on continuing to deliver for our millions of customers across Scotland.

“Our above-inflation pay offer is fair and progressive, prioritising the highest percentage increases in the business for those on the lowest salary grades – money that should be in employees’ pockets now.

“We have improved the offer in an effort to reach an agreement with the trade unions and we are now offering a combined deal for 2024/25 and 2025/26.

“This is a good deal and we would encourage union leaders to put it to their members and get back round the negotiating table as soon as possible.”