Strikes loom at Thames and Scottish Water

Industrial action is on the horizon at both Scottish Water and Thames Water following disputes about pay.

Workers at Scottish have already voted overwhelmingly to strike, while Thames workers are due to vote on a final pay offer negotiated with union bosses.

This week Thames has tabled a 7% pay rise, up from the previous offer of 5.25%. Union GMB will now put the pay offer to workers to vote on.

GMB – which represents workers at both water companies – said that it doesn’t think a better deal can be achieved through further negotiations with Thames Water. Strike action could follow if members vote against the current deal.

GMB described the latest offer from Thames as “a welcome shift” and a ballot will now take place to accept or reject the revised offer. In the event of members not accepting the 7% rise, unions would hold a vote on industrial action.

“We believe it’s the best that can be achieved through negotiations,” GMB national secretary, Andy Prendergast, said of the latest deal tabled. “GMB members within Thames Water workers will now have their say on whether to accept the offer in a ballot over the coming weeks.”

A Thames spokesperson added: “As a company we’re committed to giving our colleagues a fair and competitive pay offer. Our negotiations with our trade union colleagues are ongoing and we continue to keep colleagues informed and updated on the annual pay review.”

North of the border, staff at the publicly-owned water company backed a strike, with 86% voting in favour of industrial action after a restructuring of pay grades and salaries.

Negotiations between unions and the company failed to reach a resolution.

“The way the company has allowed this situation to arise and then deteriorate so badly has been inept and needlessly antagonistic,” said Claire Greer, GMB Scotland organiser.

“It has only created distrust and conflict and now threatens disruption that could, with a good sense and better judgement, have easily been avoided.”

The union is calling for pay offers to be uncoupled from the organisation’s wider restructuring of grades and salaries.

Trade unions, including GMB Scotland, accused the national firm of acting like a “rogue employer” overs its proposed restructure.

Scottish Water said its restructure would offer a pay rise of at least 8% and a clearer route to future pay progression in the grading structure.

Following negotiations, unions accused the company of “running roughshod” over procedures negotiating with staff.

Unison members similarly voted 82% in favour of strike action.

Scottish Water branch secretary of Unison Patricia McArthur said staff should not have to wait: “It is not acceptable to withhold a cost of living pay rise when workers are living through the highest inflation in generations.

“They should not have to wait for a pay rise which is already months late. We have not said that we are against all of their new pay changes, we have asked for openness, transparency and proper negotiations.”

Scottish Water’s employee grading structure has been in place for since the company was formed 21 years ago. Staff asked for the system to be reviewed, the company said.

Chief operating officer Peter Farrer said the company remained 100% committed to finding a solution that avoids a strike.

He said: “We are bitterly disappointed at this outcome. We put what would by any measure – especially in a public sector context – be an exceptional proposal on the table, which had been improved during the course of negotiations. We have always wanted to do the right thing for our employees. We are also surprised this proposal isn’t being taken to union members which was something we requested happen.

Contingency plans are being put in place by Scottish Water in the event of staff participating in a strike to ensure essential services can continue.