HUNDREDS of Scottish Water workers will strike in a row over pay, it has been confirmed.
Unite the Union stated that its Scottish Water membership of 500 workers is taking industrial action against the company next month.
The trade union revealed that the ‘opening phase’ of action will see its members hold a ‘standby ban’ and a ban on contractual overtime across two weekends.
The bans are set to begin from 4pm on March 7 until 8am on March 10 and again between the same times on March 14 to March 17.
Unite claims that Scottish Water ‘relies heavily’ on workers doing overtime otherwise the utility firm would reportedly have to pay ‘substantial payments’ to contractors to undertake outstanding remedial works.
Strike action is expected to directly impact Scottish Water’s response to water leakages, flooding, pollution, and quality concerns over these weekends.
Unite says this is due to the key frontline roles undertaken by its membership in sewers, water treatment centres, and on pipework.
Members rejected an initial pay offer over nine months totalling 3.4 per cent, or no less than £1200, depending on salary grade.
The pay round would have run from July 2024 to April 2025.
In contrast, Scottish Water’s counterparts in Northern Ireland received a £1500 consolidation payment and a five per cent wage rise in December.
Sharon Graham, Unite general secretary, 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.”
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The trade union also stated that it wants to highlight the ‘eye-watering’ executive pay levels at the utility firm.
During 2023/24, Unite claimed that Scottish Water’s executive team were awarded £329,000 in bonuses and benefits.
It went on to claim that the three key executives of Scottish Water; Alex Plant, Peter Farrer, and Alan Scott, took home £842,000 in remuneration packages.
While outgoing chief executive Douglas Millican is said to have received £55,000 before leaving in May 2023.
Alex Plant, the current chief executive, is reported to have received a remuneration package totalling £483,000 on top of his reported salary of £246,000
Unite says that the executive and non-executive members, including the chair, of the public body reportedly benefitted from remuneration packages worth a combined £1.15 million 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.”
It comes as water bills in Scotland are set to rise by 9.9 per cent from April 1.
This is said to add an average of £3.68 per month, or £44 per year, to household bills for water and wastewater services.
A spokesperson for Scottish Water said: “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.
“No-one benefits from industrial action, and we would encourage the joint trade unions to resume negotiations as soon as possible so that we can resolve any outstanding issues amicably and continue to deliver for our millions of customers across Scotland.
"We stand ready to discuss at any point and we encourage the unions to come back to the table with their proposals as to how we resolve matters."
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