Ayrshire Scottish Water workers walk out in pay dispute as strike action resumes
Scottish Water employees from across Ayrshire have walked out yesterday morning as a dispute over pay escalates.
Workers from three unions have all rejected the latest pay deal from Scottish Water and industrial action is set to continue for the rest of this week.
Unite the Union, the GMB and Unison members at the Camphill Wastewater Treatment Works near Kilbrinie, Cumnock Underwood Wastewater Treatment Works and Irvine Meadowhead Wastewater Treatment Work are all taking part in the strikes.
Scottish Water have said that the strike action is "unnecessary" and that their latest proposal would see an average pay increase of around seven per cent over two years.
However, the unions have said the "marginally improved" offer no longer included a "£200 performance-related bonus" which was part of the reason they initially agreed to postpone scheduled action on Friday, May 2 and Tuesday, May 6.
They have also said that Scottish Water's counterparts in Northern Ireland received a £1,500 non-consolidated payment and a five per cent wage rise in December.
The strikes have the potential to directly impact Scottish Water's ability to respond to water leakages, flooding, pollution and quality concerns.
Sharon Graham, Unite general secretary, said: 'Scottish Water executives are short-changing their workers and the Scottish people while they laugh all the way to the bank with their eye-watering pay packages.
'Our members will not be forced into accepting a pay offer which has barely moved an inch since October last year.
'Unite continues to stand with our members in their fight for better jobs, pay and conditions at Scottish Water.'
Sam Ritchie, Unite industrial officer, added: 'Unite's members at Scottish Water have overwhelmingly rejected the latest wage offer. It amounted to a marginal improvement which was totally unacceptable.
'Management also withdrew an offer to increase a performance related bonus which has further infuriated the workforce.
'For months Scottish Water has had the opportunity to make a fair and reasonable offer to our members, and they have consistently refused to do so.
'The chief executive, Alex Plant, has refused to become involved in pay negotiations while walking away with a publicly-funded pay package worth nearly half a million pounds.
'The strike action will go ahead next week over seven days because of Scottish Water's indifference and arrogance towards its workers.'
Patricia McArthur, Unison's Scottish Water branch secretary, said: 'Staff are extremely frustrated. They deserve better than game-playing by senior Scottish Water managers.
'The company seems more interested in spending public money on anti-union tactics than in finding a solution to this pay dispute.
'Its managers proposed a possible pay offer, but then retracting it, only to come up with something much worse."
Simon Macfarlane, Unison's Scotland regional manager, said: 'Scottish Water workers keep this essential public service running. They've not taken the decision to strike lightly, but have been pushed too far.
'The latest pay offer falls far short of what other public sector workers in Scotland have received. Scottish Water staff will now form picket lines across the country to demand the fair deal they deserve."
Peter Farrer, chief operating officer at Scottish Water, said: 'This week's industrial action is unnecessary. It will mean union members losing valuable wages and add extra costs to the business which are ultimately paid for by customers.
'We invited the joint trade unions to talk over the weekend but unfortunately they refused to meet without preconditions.
'Given how close the vote against our latest pay offer was, we felt a resolution was possible and would be welcomed by all our colleagues.
'It is now time for the joint trade union leadership to return to the table with a sensible solution that ends this dispute.
'In the meantime, we have robust plans in place to maintain essential services should the trade unions press ahead with their strike action.'
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