Latest news with #EmmaPhillips
Powys County Times
22-04-2025
- Business
- Powys County Times
Scottish Water staff to strike over pay dispute
Strikes are planned at Scottish Water this week after workers 'overwhelmingly' rejected a pay offer. Workers represented by GMB Scotland and Unison Scotland will strike on Tuesday and Wednesday as part of a rolling programme of industrial action threatening emergency repairs, testing and maintenance. GMB Scotland organiser Claire Greer said the strikes are going ahead after the publicly-owned utility company failed to improve a pay offer which was 'overwhelmingly rejected' by workers, while Unison Scotland organiser Emma Phillips said previous pay deals 'haven't kept up with inflation'. Ms Greer said the company had revised the offer after joint talks with conciliation service Acas but 'only made it worse'. And she warned that industrial action will 'escalate' unless a 'fair and acceptable offer' is put forward, with plans for lengthier, more disruptive walkouts next month, along with other unions, expected to go ahead. However, a spokesman for Scottish Water said the offer is 'above inflation' and prioritises 'the highest percentage increases in the business for those on the lowest salary grades'. Ms Greer said: 'The company has made these negotiations painfully complicated for no good reason. 'A revised offer received last week was shorter but clearly no better than the one already rejected and, for some workers, worse. 'Our priority remains reaching a resolution to this dispute but weeks of talks have managed to leave us behind where we started. 'The strikes will go on and action will escalate until our members are made a fair and acceptable pay offer.' Workers backed industrial action after the water company, whose executives received record bonuses last year, according to the union, reduced the terms of a pay offer that had already been rejected, according to GMB Scotland. Workers voted against an offer of 3.4% or £1,400 covering the last nine months as the company changes the date for annual rises to take effect from July to April. Scottish Water's chief operating officer, Peter Farrer, said a meeting was held with Acas and unions on April 15 and the company 'made a different, further improved proposal in an effort to reach an agreement' under which 'some employees will receive around 5.5%'. Unison Scotland regional organiser Emma Phillips said: 'Strike action is always a last resort. 'Staff have suffered a decade of pay deals that haven't kept up with inflation. 'They are not willing to be underpaid any longer. 'The union has done everything it can to try and get Scottish Water's senior managers to put a fair offer on the table, but they are refusing to be reasonable.' Unison Scottish Water branch secretary Tricia McArthur said: 'Scottish Water workers are simply asking to be paid fairly for the essential services upon which everyone in Scotland relies. 'Things are meant to be different in a publicly-owned service like this. 'But senior managers are behaving no differently to those running private water companies south of the border.' A Scottish Water spokesman said: 'We are very disappointed that we have still not been able to reach an agreement with the trade unions. 'We would encourage them to restart meaningful negotiations as soon as possible and to recognise the need to agree on a sustainable pay award for our people. 'No-one benefits from industrial action and our focus is on continuing 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 improved the offer in an effort to reach an agreement with the trade unions and we are now offering a combined deal for 2024/25 and 2025/26. This is a strong offer which is above inflation and the public sector pay policy.'
The Independent
22-04-2025
- Business
- The Independent
Scottish Water staff to strike over pay dispute
Strikes are planned at Scottish Water this week after workers 'overwhelmingly' rejected a pay offer. Workers represented by GMB Scotland and Unison Scotland will strike on Tuesday and Wednesday as part of a rolling programme of industrial action threatening emergency repairs, testing and maintenance. GMB Scotland organiser Claire Greer said the strikes are going ahead after the publicly-owned utility company failed to improve a pay offer which was 'overwhelmingly rejected' by workers, while Unison Scotland organiser Emma Phillips said previous pay deals 'haven't kept up with inflation'. Ms Greer said the company had revised the offer after joint talks with conciliation service Acas but 'only made it worse'. And she warned that industrial action will 'escalate' unless a 'fair and acceptable offer' is put forward, with plans for lengthier, more disruptive walkouts next month, along with other unions, expected to go ahead. However, a spokesman for Scottish Water said the offer is 'above inflation' and prioritises 'the highest percentage increases in the business for those on the lowest salary grades'. Ms Greer said: 'The company has made these negotiations painfully complicated for no good reason. 'A revised offer received last week was shorter but clearly no better than the one already rejected and, for some workers, worse. 'Our priority remains reaching a resolution to this dispute but weeks of talks have managed to leave us behind where we started. 'The strikes will go on and action will escalate until our members are made a fair and acceptable pay offer.' Workers backed industrial action after the water company, whose executives received record bonuses last year, according to the union, reduced the terms of a pay offer that had already been rejected, according to GMB Scotland. Workers voted against an offer of 3.4% or £1,400 covering the last nine months as the company changes the date for annual rises to take effect from July to April. Scottish Water's chief operating officer, Peter Farrer, said a meeting was held with Acas and unions on April 15 and the company 'made a different, further improved proposal in an effort to reach an agreement' under which 'some employees will receive around 5.5%'. Unison Scotland regional organiser Emma Phillips said: 'Strike action is always a last resort. 'Staff have suffered a decade of pay deals that haven't kept up with inflation. 'They are not willing to be underpaid any longer. 'The union has done everything it can to try and get Scottish Water's senior managers to put a fair offer on the table, but they are refusing to be reasonable.' Unison Scottish Water branch secretary Tricia McArthur said: 'Scottish Water workers are simply asking to be paid fairly for the essential services upon which everyone in Scotland relies. 'Things are meant to be different in a publicly-owned service like this. 'But senior managers are behaving no differently to those running private water companies south of the border.' A Scottish Water spokesman said: 'We are very disappointed that we have still not been able to reach an agreement with the trade unions. 'We would encourage them to restart meaningful negotiations as soon as possible and to recognise the need to agree on a sustainable pay award for our people. 'No-one benefits from industrial action and our focus is on continuing 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 improved the offer in an effort to reach an agreement with the trade unions and we are now offering a combined deal for 2024/25 and 2025/26. This is a strong offer which is above inflation and the public sector pay policy.'
Yahoo
22-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Scottish Water staff to strike over pay dispute
Strikes are planned at Scottish Water this week after workers 'overwhelmingly' rejected a pay offer. Workers represented by GMB Scotland and Unison Scotland will strike on Tuesday and Wednesday as part of a rolling programme of industrial action threatening emergency repairs, testing and maintenance. GMB Scotland organiser Claire Greer said the strikes are going ahead after the publicly-owned utility company failed to improve a pay offer which was 'overwhelmingly rejected' by workers, while Unison Scotland organiser Emma Phillips said previous pay deals 'haven't kept up with inflation'. Ms Greer said the company had revised the offer after joint talks with conciliation service Acas but 'only made it worse'. And she warned that industrial action will 'escalate' unless a 'fair and acceptable offer' is put forward, with plans for lengthier, more disruptive walkouts next month, along with other unions, expected to go ahead. However, a spokesman for Scottish Water said the offer is 'above inflation' and prioritises 'the highest percentage increases in the business for those on the lowest salary grades'. Ms Greer said: 'The company has made these negotiations painfully complicated for no good reason. 'A revised offer received last week was shorter but clearly no better than the one already rejected and, for some workers, worse. 'Our priority remains reaching a resolution to this dispute but weeks of talks have managed to leave us behind where we started. 'The strikes will go on and action will escalate until our members are made a fair and acceptable pay offer.' Workers backed industrial action after the water company, whose executives received record bonuses last year, according to the union, reduced the terms of a pay offer that had already been rejected, according to GMB Scotland. Workers voted against an offer of 3.4% or £1,400 covering the last nine months as the company changes the date for annual rises to take effect from July to April. Scottish Water's chief operating officer, Peter Farrer, said a meeting was held with Acas and unions on April 15 and the company 'made a different, further improved proposal in an effort to reach an agreement' under which 'some employees will receive around 5.5%'. Unison Scotland regional organiser Emma Phillips said: 'Strike action is always a last resort. 'Staff have suffered a decade of pay deals that haven't kept up with inflation. 'They are not willing to be underpaid any longer. 'The union has done everything it can to try and get Scottish Water's senior managers to put a fair offer on the table, but they are refusing to be reasonable.' Unison Scottish Water branch secretary Tricia McArthur said: 'Scottish Water workers are simply asking to be paid fairly for the essential services upon which everyone in Scotland relies. 'Things are meant to be different in a publicly-owned service like this. 'But senior managers are behaving no differently to those running private water companies south of the border.' A Scottish Water spokesman said: 'We are very disappointed that we have still not been able to reach an agreement with the trade unions. 'We would encourage them to restart meaningful negotiations as soon as possible and to recognise the need to agree on a sustainable pay award for our people. 'No-one benefits from industrial action and our focus is on continuing 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 improved the offer in an effort to reach an agreement with the trade unions and we are now offering a combined deal for 2024/25 and 2025/26. This is a strong offer which is above inflation and the public sector pay policy.'
Euronews
28-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Euronews
Champagne, chaos and cheeks: Sabrage brings a naughty night of cabaret to London's Lafayette
ADVERTISEMENT A new circus-cabaret spectacle has arrived in London, setting up shop at Lafayette near King's Cross. Sabrage - which takes its name from the French tradition of opening champagne with a sword - pops the cork on an evening of daring feats, high-energy performances, debauchery and deliciously unhinged antics. Lafayette, best known for hosting gigs by the likes of Charli XCX , Olivia Dean and Dave, is a fitting backdrop. The venue's Nola's Bar drips with Parisian decadence, inviting audiences to sip on cocktails before being whisked away into the madness. The stage itself is intimate, bringing those who dare to come along right into the heart of the action. Directed by Scott Maidment, a maestro of circus cabaret who has toured his productions through 32 countries and previously worked with Madonna on her Rebel Heart tour, Sabrage incorporates both improvised chaos and carefully calibrated precision. 'We want it to feel chaotic and crazy, but there's a lot of technical precision that goes into making that happen. There's a lot of moving parts in the show. There's aerials, a lot of lighting, sound, dance - and everything needs to work together.' Maidment tells Euronews Culture. 'So the audience feels like it's chaos, but it's actually precision.' Emma Phillips juggling a table during 'Sabrage' at London's Lafayette. Credit: Matt Crockett The cast of 'Sabrage' on stage at London's Lafayette Credit: Roy J Baron And precision there certainly is. The show brings together a small but undeniably talented cast of performers. There's jaw-dropping table-juggling wizardry from Emma Phillips, who trained in a remote Chinese village for two and a half years to master the art of spinning parasols and furniture on her feet. Flynn Miller and Kimberley Bargenquast mesmerise with a sensual aerial performance, while singer Cherise Adams-Burnett keeps the mood sultry and electric. Christian Nimri zips around on roller skates, Skye Ladell seduces with her tantalising dance moves, and the unashamedly eccentric Spencer Novich contorts his body into comic frenzy during a mashup of sounds and snippets from across pop culture. Then there's Rémy Martin, whose abiltiies defy explanation... Let's just say his 'instrumental' performance involves some audience participation, some lube, and a microphone strategically placed near his private parts. Some things are best discovered in person. "I invented a special instrument, since I would say my birth. I'm the only one in the world using it as I use it. I don't wanna say more," he teased before the show. Maidment describes Sabrage as an experience designed for those looking for more than just a night at the theatre. 'People that come to our shows aren't necessarily theatre-goers,' he explains. 'They'll have a few drinks, see the show, maybe go out for dinner - it's a whole evening of entertainment. And once they see it, they often come back because they want their friends to experience it.' While Sabrage might not be everyone's cup of tea (or glass of bubbly), for those looking for a silly night of absurdity, acrobatics, and audacious fun, it's a ride worth taking. Check out footage from the circus-cabaret spectacle in the video above.
