Scottish Water strike to go ahead after negotiation breakdown

An initial 24-hour strike will take place next week on Friday March 28, with the union warning more industrial action is ‘inevitable’ due to the stance of Scottish Water executives.

The strike could impact work on sewers and pipework, water treatment centres and could also impact Scottish Water’s ability to respond to water leakages, flooding, pollution, and water quality concerns.

Unite criticised Scottish Water executives for using the talks as a device to ‘water down’ an offer made to the workforce, and to fall back on an inferior offer.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham, said: “Unite’s membership at Scottish Water is at the end of the road with the duplicitous behaviour of excessively paid executives.

“Strike action will now hit Scottish Water very soon with more days of action inevitable due to a culture of arrogance gripping the public body. Unite will fully support our members in their fight for better jobs, pay and conditions at Scottish Water.”

Rejecting a pay rise offer of 3.4 per cent for Scottish Water staff, Unite highlighted the ‘eye-watering’ executive pay levels of Scottish Water’s executive team who 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, recieved £842,000 in remuneration packages.

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 received remuneration packages worth a combined £1.15m, up from £854,000 in 2023.

A Scottish Water spokesperson said: “We would encourage the trade unions to get back round the negotiating table again so we can work with them and ACAS to secure a good pay award for our people.

“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.

“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 been negotiating this particular pay deal since December and it has not changed."

The strike action comes ahead of a 9.9 per cent increase in water bills which is due to come into effect in April.