SCOTTISH Water has been accused of “watering down” pay offer as a second union confirmed it is taking strike action.
Unite the Union confirmed its 500 members will walk out on March 28, joining colleagues from GMB Scotland who announced industrial action on Thursday.
The union has warned Scottish Water that longer and more disruptive strikes are “inevitable” due to the stance of the firm's executives.
The action will impact Scottish Water’s ability to respond to water leakages, flooding, pollution, and quality concerns, on the dates employees will strike.
Unite general secretary, Sharon Graham, said the union’s membership at Scottish Water is “at the end of the road with the duplicitous behaviour of excessively paid executives”.
She said: “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.”
Workers voted against an offer of 3.4% or £1400 covering the last nine months as the union criticised Scottish Water executives for using talks to “water down” the pay offer.
Unite said the latest offer, which amounts to the same percentage increase or £1050 for those on the lowest grades over the same period, is a diluted version of the one workers already rejected.
GMB Scotland also said the “inferior” offer was not just frustrating, but “inexplicable” and claimed executives at Scottish Water of “gaslighting” workers.
Sam Ritchie, Unite industrial officer, said Scottish Water used talks with unions to “string along” workers while watering down the existing proposals.
He said: “Unite agreed to postpone previous rounds of industrial action to give conciliation talks a chance so we could try to find a breakthrough in the dispute.
“Instead, Scottish Water has used the talks as a device to string us along while watering down their existing proposals which is unacceptable to our membership.”
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."
