Workers at publicly owned Scottish Water will be taking industrial action in a dispute over pay.
In the opening phase of action at Scottish Water, members of the trade union Unite will hold a standby ban, and a ban on contractual overtime over two consecutive weekends.
The bans will begin at 4pm on 7 March up to 8am on 10 March and then take place at the same times on 14 March until 17 March.
Scottish Water relies heavily on workers doing overtime or the organisation would need to pay substantial payments to contractors to undertake outstanding remedial works.
Read more:
Due to the key frontline roles undertaken by Unite’s membership in sewers, water treatment centres and on pipework, the industrial action will directly impact Scottish Water’s ability to respond to water leakages, flooding, pollution and quality concerns over these weekends.
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham, said: “Unite’s membership at Scottish Water is determined to hold those in charge of the public body to account.
“It’s simply unacceptable that the hard work and dedication of our members is not being rewarded while Scottish Water executive pay hits eye-watering levels. Unite will fully support our members in their fight for better jobs, pay and conditions at Scottish Water.”
Unite’s 500 strong membership have rejected an initial basic pay offer over nine months amounting to 3.4 per cent, or no less than £1,200 depending on salary grade which would run from July 2024 to April 2025.
The union is highlighting that Scottish Water’s counterparts in Northern Ireland in contrast received a £1,500 non-consolidated payment and a five per cent wage rise in December.
With the onset of nationwide industrial action, Unite continues to highlight the ‘eye-watering’ executive pay levels at Scottish Water.
Scottish Water’s executive team were awarded £329,000 in bonuses and benefits in 2023/24. The three key executives of Scottish Water, Alex Plant, Peter Farrer and Alan Scott, amassed £842,000 in remuneration packages with the outgoing chief executive Douglas Millican also collecting £55,000 before his exit in May 2023.
Alex Plant, the chief executive on top of his reported £246,000 salary received an overall remuneration package totalling £483,000. The executive and non-executive members, including the chair, of the public body benefited from remuneration packages worth a combined £1.15m up from £854,000 in 2023.
Sam Ritchie, Unite industrial officer, said: “Unite’s members are outraged by the culture of arrogance gripping Scottish Water’s management. Let’s remember that the exorbitant executive pay levels are being funded by the Scottish public.
“Industrial action will significantly impair the ability of Scottish Water to provide a service over two consecutive weekends. Alex Plant and his executive team who are dining out on the public purse must significantly improve the pay offer or industrial action is inevitable.”
Water bills in Scotland are set to rise by 9.9 per cent in April which will equate to an average monthly household increase for water and wastewater services of £3.68 per month or £44 per year from April 1.
