Scottish Water workers have gone on strike today after rejecting the water company’s latest pay offer.
Members of GMB, Unite and Unison will strike from Monday 2nd June through to Sunday 8th June. According to Unite, the latest pay offer “contained no substantive improvements” and as such was overwhelmingly rejected by Unite’s 500-strong membership on Friday 30 May.
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham, said:
“Scottish Water executives are short-changing their workers and the Scottish people while they laugh all the way to the bank with their eye-watering pay packages. Our members will not be forced into accepting a pay offer which has barely moved an inch since October last year.
“Unite continues to stand with our members in their fight for better jobs, pay and conditions at Scottish Water.”
Peter Farrer, Chief Operating Officer at Scottish Water, said:
“This week’s industrial action is unnecessary. It will mean union members losing valuable wages and add extra costs to the business which are ultimately paid for by customers.
“We invited the joint trade unions to talk over the weekend but unfortunately they refused to meet without preconditions.
“Given how close the vote against our latest pay offer was, we felt a resolution was possible and would be welcomed by all our colleagues.
“It is now time for the joint trade union leadership to return to the table with a sensible solution that ends this dispute.
“In the meantime, we have robust plans in place to maintain essential services should the trade unions press ahead with their strike action.”
