4 days ago
Dumfries and Galloway Scottish Water staff start week-long strike action
Members of three unions downed tools this morning with the walk out set to continue until Sunday.
Staff at Scottish Water in Dumfries and Galloway have started seven days of strike action.
The walk out comes after the latest pay deal was rejected by staff.
The industrial action, which involves workers in the Unite, Unison and GMB Scotland unions, started on Monday and will continue until Sunday.
Workers also downed tools in April.
Unison Scottish Water branch secretary, Patricia McArthur, 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.'
Unite general secretary, Sharon Graham, added: '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.'
Scottish Water's chief operating officer Peter Farrer 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.'
