Swinney ‘must be held to account' over Scottish Water pay dispute, unions say
Members of GMB Scotland and other unions at the publicly-owned organisation began strike action on Monday and it will continue until Sunday.
Staff represented by GMB, Unite and Unison previously rejected a 3.4% pay increase covering the last nine months as the company changed the date for annual rises to take effect from July to April.
Speaking at a rally of striking workers at Scottish Water's Shieldhall depot in Glasgow on Wednesday, GMB general secretary Gary Smith warned the ongoing dispute could become one of the most significant in the country's public sector and he urged ministers to intervene.
Unions also claim Scottish Water has failed to appropriately engage in pay negotiations, and that chief executive Alex Plant attended talks on Tuesday for the first time but only stayed briefly.
GMB general secretary Gary Smith spoke to striking Scottish Water workers on Wednesday (GMB/PA)
Mr Smith said: 'How did we end up with workers being refused a fair pay rise while executives line their pockets with record bonuses? How did we end up with a chief executive finally turning up to pay talks after a year and only staying for 20 seconds?
'It is damning of the management of Scottish Water but damning too of the hypocrisy of a Scottish Government that advocates for fair work and the protection of public services.
'John Swinney and his ministers must be held to account for this growing scandal. From this point forward, every time they talk to us about fair work and how Scotland treats working people better, we will point to Scottish Water and its absolute failure to make good on that promise.'
Tuesday's meeting escalated the dispute further, with unions now accusing the employer of weakening the pay offer.
Workers carrying out emergency repairs, testing and maintenance are now striking, which they have warned will threaten the daily operations of the water supplier.
Claire Greer, GMB Scotland organiser, said the unions had agreed to attend the hastily-convened meeting on Tuesday night in the hope of a better offer and a possible resolution.
She said: 'Scottish Water has shown no interest in reaching a fair settlement and sat on its hands as a dispute that could have easily been resolved months ago escalated.
John Swinney has been urged to intervene and help resolve the dispute (PA)
'The Scottish Government must now explain to its senior management team why its refusal to clearly and honestly engage with its own workforce cannot stand.'
Unison regional manager Simon Macfarlane said: 'Scottish Water staff are very angry in how last night's pay talks were handled by the company. Scottish Water boss, Alex Plant, appeared at the table for less than five minutes.
'First Minister John Swinney needs to step in and help get this sorted. Scottish Water is behaving like a rogue employer, not an exemplar of fair work.'
Sam Ritchie, Unite industrial officer, said: 'Unite members are angry and deeply frustrated with the management of Scottish Water. There has been disregard and arrogance shown towards the concerns of the workforce in meetings with management. This dispute is not just about wages, it's about fairness, dignity and respect.
'Alex Plant, chief executive, who received a pay package last year of nearly half a million pounds, came into the negotiating room for all of two minutes.
'If Mr Plant can collect an exorbitant salary from the taxpayer then at the very least he should listen to the staff who earn a fraction of his pay. Talks have hit a roadblock and they are not progressing.
'Unions and management are set to resume talks over the coming days but no new offer is currently on the table which would end this dispute.'
Also in attendance was union body the Scottish Trade Unions Congress, and its general Secretary Roz Foyer said: 'The Scottish Government has a responsibility to step in and help find a solution.
'Workers and their unions are committed to securing a positive outcome, not only for their members but to uphold the standards within our public services.
'That cannot happen while Scottish Water continues its intransigence in this dispute.'
A Scottish Water spokesperson said: 'This is a matter for Scottish Water and its trade unions, who we value our relationship with.
'Scottish Water has acted in good faith and with integrity throughout these negotiations.
'We have a long history of being a good employer – with wages rising by about 11% above inflation in the past decade – at a time when many people in other sectors saw their wages stagnate or go backwards.
'We've made another strong offer this time that is comfortably above inflation and prioritises those on the lowest wages.'
A Scottish Government spokesperson said: 'Ministers have set out their policy in relation to public sector pay.
'It is a matter for Scottish Water and its unions to agree a settlement within the constraints of that policy and affordability.
'The Scottish Government urges both parties to resume negotiations to find an agreement.'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The National
42 minutes ago
- The National
Scottish holidaymakers warned over looming strikes at Glasgow Airport
Unite the union said workers at Glasgow Airport Ltd, ICTS Central Search, Swissport, Menzies Aviation and Falck could be balloted for walkouts. The union said on Saturday that if there is no successful resolution to the disputes in the coming days, it will move towards holding votes on industrial action within two weeks. It warned strikes could 'ground planes and passengers'. READ MORE: Scottish architect firm appointed to save historic home of Robert Burns Pat McIlvogue, Unite industrial officer, said walkouts could be held from the middle of July. More than 100 Swissport workers are locked in a dispute about rotas and work-life balance, according to Unite. It said the company 'is demanding that workers at extreme short notice have to work shifts at various times and for various durations, which is directly impacting on their personal lives'. Unite said some Swissport staff are 'struggling with chronic fatigue'. A further 250 ICTS Central Search workers, who deal with passengers directly in the security search area and process them for flights, are currently involved in a dispute over under-staffing, working conditions and pay. A total of 120 workers employed by Glasgow Airport Limited have rejected a basic 3.6% pay increase, with staff including airport ambassadors, airside support officers, engineers and managers involved. The same 3.6% pay increase was rejected by 50 Falck firefighters who perform fire safety functions at the airport. Meanwhile, 300 Menzies Aviation workers, including dispatchers, allocators, airside agents and controllers, have rejected a basic uplift worth around 4.25%. The union recently announced a series of what it said were wage wins for 100 North Air workers across Scottish airports, and more than 140 staff based at Glasgow Airport employed by ABM and OCS. Unite general secretary Sharon Graham (above) said: 'Hundreds of workers at Glasgow Airport are heading towards summer strike action which would ground planes and passengers. 'The companies involved are all highly profitable and can easily afford to give our members better pay and working conditions. 'The truth is that they are denying fair pay increases to cynically boost their profits.' McIlvogue said: 'Unite is in dispute with companies at Glasgow Airport, which could ultimately bring hundreds of workers out on strike. 'The companies can resolve these disputes with Unite before that situation happens by addressing the legitimate concerns and pay aspirations of our members. 'If the companies refuse to work with Unite to resolve these disputes, then we will have no option but to open strike ballots. This could mean strike action happening from the middle of July.'
The Herald Scotland
an hour ago
- The Herald Scotland
The Herald's Unspun Live heads to the Edinburgh Fringe
Across four nights, audiences will hear from First Minister John Swinney, Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar, Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes, and Britain's leading polling expert, Professor Sir John Curtice. Tickets are available now — click here to book your place at Unspun Live. These discussions will move beyond the usual political talking points, exploring the personal motivations, challenges and life experiences that shape Scotland's most influential figures. Professor Sir John Curtice and guestsThe series opens on 4 August with Professor Sir John Curtice, who will be joined by special guests to take the political temperature of the nation and analyse the trends influencing the next Holyrood election. Click here to buy tickets to Unspun Live with John Curtice and guests John Swinney (Image: Gordon Terris) On 5 August, John Swinney will make a rare festival appearance. He will be interviewed by The Herald's Brian Taylor — the legendary former political editor of BBC Scotland, who has been covering the First Minister for more than 25 years. The SNP leader will reflect on his first year leading the Scottish Government, the challenges facing his party and the country, and share a personal perspective on leadership and life in high office. Click here to buy tickets for Unspun Live with John Swinney Anas Sarwar reading The Herald (Image: Gordon Terris) On 6 August, attention turns to the opposition. Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar will discuss one of the most dramatic years in his party's recent history. Buoyed by a strong performance at Thursday's by-election in Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse, his appearance comes at a pivotal moment in his campaign to lead the next Scottish Government. Click here to buy tickets for Unspun Live with Anas Sarwar Kate Forbes speaking to The Herald (Image: Colin Mearns) Closing the series on 7 August is Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes. A former SNP leadership contender and key figure in the Cabinet, she will offer insights into the Government's economic priorities — and reflect on her political journey to date. Click here to buy tickets for Unspun Live with Kate Forbes Each Unspun Live session will be hosted by journalists and columnists from The Herald. The events will combine political analysis with personal storytelling, offering audiences a rare chance to engage with both the public views and private reflections of Scotland's leading politicians. Audience members will also be invited to put their questions directly to the guests, ensuring a two-way conversation about Scotland's political direction — and the people behind the headlines. Catherine Salmond, Editor of The Herald, said: 'We are delighted to bring the world's longest-running national newspaper into the heart of the world's largest arts festival. 'As Scotland faces a pivotal election in 2026, there is real value in having these conversations live on stage — where our readers and the wider public can engage directly with the people shaping our country's future. 'For those with a serious interest in Scottish politics, The Herald remains an essential read, combining authoritative coverage with unparalleled access to the key players and issues that matter. 'It is all part of our commitment to fostering understanding and informed debate — ensuring Scots have access to the insight they need, whether in our pages or face to face.' Click here to book your tickets now via the Summerhall box office.
The Herald Scotland
an hour ago
- The Herald Scotland
Jim Sillars: John Swinney should resign as SNP leader
Polling suggested the SNP would win the crunch by-election but instead Labour took the seat pushing the SNP into second while Reform was placed third. The result prompted calls on Friday by SNP veteran Alex Neil for Mr Swinney's resignation as leader before the Scottish Parliament elections in 2026, when the SNP will have been in power for 19 years. Speaking to The Herald Mr Sillars echoed Mr Neil's views that Mr Swinney should quit though added he did not think a change of leadership would be sufficient to put the SNP on the front foot in time for the election next May saying better delivery on public services and a review of policy priorities was needed. "Look at yesterday's result," he said. READ MORE: SNP veteran calls for Swinney to quit after Labour shock by-election victory Sarwar: Swinney ran a 'disgraceful' campaign and is running down the clock as FM Rows with press, claims of racism and misinformation - a by-election that turned ugly "The SNP went down to 29%. If that was repeated in 2026 the SNP will have a disaster on their hands, they would get nowhere near the seats they need to get and therefore not be in government. "It is very difficult to see how they can reverse their position. They are also being judged by voters on the basis of their performance in government. "They have spent more time in Holyrood arguing about the identity of women than they have about the 85,000 children living in abject poverty. Former SNP deputy leader Jim Sillars (Image: PA) "It is not just a leadership replacement they would have to rethink their whole policy priorities. They have lost the people." He noted the difference in support for independence and for the SNP. "When you get polling showing that support for independence is around 50% but the so-called party of independence is getting 29% of the vote in a critical by-election then there is a real problem," he added. "I never thought John Swinney would make a good leader. I think he should go on the basis that he is a failure, though it doesn't mean that him going would really change things substantially." Along with Mr Neil, Mr Sillars is a longstanding critic of Mr Swinney and former First Minister Nicola Sturgeon. Both were supportive of the late former First Minister Alex Salmond when he fell out with Ms Sturgeon. Turning to the First Minister's message that the by-election was a straight contest between the SNP and Reform, Mr Sillars said: "He punted Reform instead of dealing with the real opposition which was Labour. Scottish Labour's victory rally in Hamilton on Friday (Image: Colin Mearns) "It showed a man with a lack of judgment and someone who could not read the street." Former SNP health secretary Mr Neil was the first senior party figure to call for a change of leadership following the SNP by-election defeat. In a post on X on Friday Alex Neil, who held Cabinet roles in the administrations of both Alex Salmond and Nicola Sturgeon, said it was time for a new leadership. READ MORE: Keir Starmer: John Swinney hasn't raised independence referendum with me Swinney defends claims Labour 'out of it' in by-election Not a shot that's been fired across SNP's bows, it's a cruise missile "Poor by election result for the SNP despite having the best candidate," wrote the former Cabinet minister on X. "It shows that the opinion polls appear wide of the mark. Most importantly it shows the current SNP leadership needs to be replaced urgently." Mr Sarwar and his party celebrated in the early hours of Friday morning after Labour's Davy Russell was elected as the new MSP for Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse, winning the seat from the SNP. With the votes showing a swing of more than 7% from the SNP to Labour, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said on Friday the result showed people have "voted for change". The by-election had been held following the death earlier this year of Scottish Government minister Christina McKelvie. When the votes were counted, Mr Russell polled 8,559, SNP candidate Katy Loudon took 7,957 votes, while Reform's Ross Lambie secured 7,088. And although Mr Russell was elected with fewer votes than Labour secured in the seat in the 2021 Scottish Parliament election, the SNP's support fell from just over 46% of all ballots then to 29.35% in the by-election. Reform UK deputy leader Richard Tice insisting they were "delighted" with coming third - despite speculation prior to the count that they could come in second or may even pull off a surprise victory. Speaking at a media event in Hamilton on Friday morning, Mr Sarwar accused the SNP leader of running a "disgraceful" campaign" and insisted the by-election could "help lead the way" to him becoming Scotland's next First Minister. Mr Swinney said the SNP was "clearly disappointed" with the result. The First Minister and party leader said Labour had "won by an absolute landslide" in Rutherglen and Hamilton West - noting the SNP "came much closer" this time round. But he added: "The people of Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse have made clear that we still have work to do. "Over the next few days, we will take time to consider the result fully." The SNP was approached to seek comment on the interventions from Mr Sillars and Mr Neil. Since coming into office in Spring last year Mr Swinney has attempted to refresh the SNP's policy agenda with a renewed focus on addressing child poverty and improving public services, in particular tackling waits for NHS treatment. He has attempted to steer away from the public debate on gender politics which dominated the end of Ms Sturgeon's time in office.
