Environment Agency staff take industrial action after seeing a 20% drop in pay over the last decade
The article From floods to food banks first appeared on the UNISON National site.Read more…
Putting the ‘Public’ back into Scottish Water
Scottish Water is a public corporation, accountable to Scottish Ministers and parliament. It was created in 2002 by a merger of three regional water authorities. This contrasts with the privatised…Read more…
‘Crippling’ household debts soar
While the government celebrated a record budget surplus today (August 21), ordinary people are barely keeping their heads above water in a sea of outstanding household debt approaching £19bn, new…Read more…
End ‘fountain for profit’ call
Water may seem as natural and ‘free’ a resource as they come – it falls from the sky after all, and it’s essential to all forms of life. But in the UK and increasingly around the world, water has…Read more…
‘Reservoir of corporate greed’
A privateer water firm that loses over 400m litres every day because of leaky pipes will hand nearly £181m to shareholders just two days before it imposes a hosepipe ban. United Utilities is…Read more…
‘Outrageous’ hosepipe ban
A hosepipe ban imposed on 7m households in north-west England has been described as “outrageous” after it was revealed the water company that ordered it loses more than 439m litres a day through…Read more…
Water firm pensions probe
Serious concerns have been expressed over why two highly profitable water companies – Anglian Water and United Utilities – are proposing to close their defined benefit (DB) pension schemes, thereby…Read more…
World Water Day
World Water Day, on 22 March every year, is about focusing attention on the importance of water. This year’s theme, ‘Nature for Water’, explores nature-based solutions (NBS) to the water challenges…Read more…
Scottish Utilities and the EU
Like so many aspects of our economic life, the EU is an integral part of our energy and water systems. That’s why almost everyone you meet in the industry will be voting Remain on Thursday. They are…Read more…
Shadow minister praises UNISON’s work for a living wage water industry
WET conference vows to keep up the pressure to ensure “the living wage for all in the water industry”
The article Shadow minister praises UNISON’s work for a living wage water industry first…Read more…
Making Waves for the Living Wage – the tide is turning in our favour
Today we’re launching a new campaign – “Making Waves for the Living Wage” calling on all UK the water industry to sign up as accredited Living Wage employers with the Living Wage Foundation.
The…Read more…
World Water Day
Today is World Water Day. The 22nd March is designated as World Water Day by the UN to mark the importance of water and sanitation.
This year’s theme is ‘Better Water, Better Jobs’. 1.5 billion…Read more…
Why CETA has implications for Scottish Water
The CETA trade agreement could lock in water privatisation in England and have implications for Scottish Water.
The Council of Canadians has warned that if the Canada-European Union Comprehensive…Read more…
‘No more cuts to the Environment Agency’
UNISON calls on government to maintain Agency funding in wake of floods
The article ‘No more cuts to the Environment Agency’ first appeared on the UNISON site.Read more…
UNISON members are working flat out
As wind and rain batters the north of England I want to pay tribute to our members
The article UNISON members are working flat out first appeared on the UNISON site.Read more…
United Utilities pensions closure plan rejected
Unions at North West utilities firm consider next steps after rejecting plans to close final salary scheme to all staff
The article United Utilities pensions closure plan rejected first appeared on…Read more…
Holding back the tide
UNISON members working at the Thames Barrier represent the ‘epitome’ of public service
The article Holding back the tide first appeared on the UNISON site.Read more…
Scotland’s public sector water contract privatised. Confused? You should be!
A £350m contract to provide water and wastewater to Scotland’s public sector has been awarded to a privatised utility firm in East Anglia. Confused?
Scotland has a public water corporation, Scottish…Read more…
‘Ultimate market madness’, UNISON’s statement on privatisation Scottish Water services
Date: Tuesday 6 October 2015
Dave Watson, head of UNISON Scotland bargaining and campaigns, said: “UNISON is deeply disappointed that the contract for Scotland’s public sector water and wastewater services is to be awarded to a privatised utility. In fairness, the Scottish Government had few options because the system of retail water competition is the ultimate in market madness. £350m willRead more…
Just can’t take it anymore
Unite is at the forefront of Ireland’s Right2Water campaign, which has mobilised hundreds of thousands of people in the Republic against yet another austerity tax: water charges. Although…Read more…