Strike Looms as Scottish Water Workers Demand Fair Pay

More than a thousand workers at Scottish Water are facing a pivotal moment as they receive strike ballots over pay issues. The union UNISON announced this development on Thursday last week, warning that if workers support the strike, mass walkouts could occur across Scotland this month.

Scottish Water has proposed a pay rise of 3.4% or £1400, whichever is higher. However, UNISON argues that this offer fails to address a decade of pay cuts and does not reflect the true value of the workers’ contributions.

Tricia McArthur, the secretary of UNISON’s Scottish Water branch, expressed the gravity of the situation. “No one wants to take strike action, but Scottish Water workers feel they’ve no choice. Staff are simply asking for a fair pay rise to keep up with inflation and restore some of the pay they’ve lost over the past 10 years,” she stated.

Emma Phillips, a regional organiser for UNISON Scotland, criticized the directors at Scottish Water for their handling of the pay situation. “Scottish Water directors have behaved appallingly. They are already on massive salaries, but don’t see fit to give hard-working staff a fair pay rise,” she said.

The workers at Scottish Water play a crucial role in ensuring that homes and businesses receive clean, fresh water and that sewage is properly managed. They deserve fair compensation for their essential work.

UNISON represents over 1,000 workers at Scottish Water, making it the largest union in the organization. The strike ballot opened this week and will close at noon on Monday, February 17. UNISON stands as Scotland’s largest union, with over 150,000 members serving in various public sectors, including education, local government, the NHS, and more.