Scottish Watter Staff Vote tae Strike Ower Pey Dispute

Staff at Scottish Watter hae voted decisively tae strike ower pey, accordin tae UNISON. E union annoonced e day aat warkers will pit in a ban on ower-time an will nae langer be on staundby. If Scottish Watter disnae engage in talks tae improve e current wage offer, UNISON warns o possible mass walk-oots.

Scottish Watter has proposed a pey rise o 3.4% or £1,400, fitivver is greater. Fooanivver, UNISON argues aat iss offer faas short o fit warkers deserve. For e past decade, employees hae faced pey cuts aat hinna kept pace wi inflation. Maist staff earn less than £31,000 a year, fyle senior managers reportedly tak hame salaries in e hunners o thoosands.

Emma Phillips, a regional organiser for UNISON Scotland, stated, “Naebody wants tae disrupt services.” Yet, she added, staff feel they hae nae chyce. E lack o fair pey has led tae growin discontent amang warkers.

Tricia McArthur, branch secretary for UNISON Scottish Watter, criticised e directors for ignorin staff concerns. She stressed e importance o a fair offer tae attract an haad on tae warkers, especially as mair tasks are bein haunded ower tae private contractors.

E strike ballot, aat lasted three wikk, saa a turnoot o 69%. O thae aat voted, 65% supported strike action, fyle 73% backed action short o a strike.

UNISON represents ower 1,000 warkers at Scottish Watter, makkin it e main union ithin e organisation. Wi ower 150,000 memmers, UNISON is Scotland’s mucklest union, providin vital public services ower various sectors, includin education, local government, e NHS, polis service, an energy.