SCOTTISH Water is set to be hit by a strike over the festive period leaving it without much of its emergency cover.
A pay dispute looks likely to escalate from 4pm today when Scottish Water's employees are due to begin their industrial action. They have been angered that they have been offered a rise of only 2.4 per cent next year, while the unions say managers
have enjoyed rises of between 30 and 40 per cent in the past two years.
The members of the GMB, Unison and Unite unions have pledged not to return to work until 5 January, imposing an overtime ban.
Staff also walked out in November, but talks following that have failed to produce any movement on either side.
The dispute is the latest in a series of public-sector strikes to hit services in Scotland and the UK, as unions try to improve wages against the backdrop of the economic crisis.
The Scottish Government, which owns Scottish Water, has insisted that pay rises keep within tight spending limits, but it has also said the dispute is a matter for the company's management.
However, talks will go ahead this morning in a last-ditch attempt to avert the strike. If the action does go ahead, the dispute means staff who are normally on hand to cope with water or sewage treatment failures, burst mains or flooding will not be available over Christmas and New Year.
Richard Leonard, who represents GMB members, said the decision had not been taken lightly. He said: "We have met twice with senior Scottish Water directors in the last few days. These directors appear to have taken a decision that they would rather see this public service put at risk than negotiate a settlement."
He claimed that the unions, who represent more than 2,000 workers in Scottish Water, had put forward a number of proposals they believe would have solved the dispute.
And he added that the workers were looking for public support on this issue.
Scottish Water said it had hoped an enhanced offer of 3.75 per cent would provide a way forward in the dispute.
Describing the action as "unfortunate", Chris Wallace, director of communications, said: "We are extremely disappointed by the decision of our unions to reject this new pay offer from Scottish Water and by their decision to carry out industrial action over the Christmas and New Year period in the form of an overtime and standby ban."
He added: "This is action by a segment of the workforce and every effort will be made to limit any effect on our customers. We would ask for understanding from our customers as we seek to limit the impact of this unfortunate action."
His claims were dismissed by union bosses, who said that the improved offer was not as good as Scottish Water was trying to portray.
Dougie Black, regional organiser of Unison Scotland insisted that only 2 per cent of the 3.75 per cent figure was guaranteed.
"There is still time to resolve this dispute before the industrial action starts on 24 December, however Scottish Water must be prepared to make significant improvements to what's already on the table," he said.
BACKGROUNDTHE pay dispute between Scottish Water and its employees is the latest in a series of public-sector strikes over the past year.
Unions representing public-sector workers have been pushing for much higher pay increases despite the background of an economic crisis.
There has been surprise in some quarters, that while people in the private sector are losing their jobs or suffering from pay freezes, the public-sector unions have been pushing for large pay rises.
The biggest dispute was between council workers and Scotland's 32 councils represented by the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities.
They have been pushing for a 5 per cent pay rise and held several one-day strikes.
That dispute is not over, even though the members of the biggest union, Unison, accepted a two-year deal.
Scottish Government workers have also taken to the picket lines in a bid to raise their pay.
