'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 will be paid to Anglian Water in Huntingdon, only for most of that money to be repaid to Scottish Water in wholesale charges. The cost of this crazy system is picked up by the taxpayer.”

“The claimed headline savings include water efficiency measures that should be undertaken anyway and is often included to spin out the alleged benefits of retail competition." 

“This procurement also highlights the importance of addressing tax dodging in procurement, an issue UNISON and other civil society organisations campaigned for during the passage of the Procurement Act. There should be pre-qualification disclosure of company taxation policies and public bodies should be able to evaluate a tender on the basis of which company pays tax or not. Assessment of bids could make use of the Fair Tax Mark."

‘We have always said that Scottish water should stay in Scotland in public hands it works, is good value for money and water customers support the corporation staying in public hands." 

ends

Notes

Corporate Watch report that Anglian paid £151 million to its private owners, but just £1 million in tax in 2012, after an operating profit of £363 million. It avoids millions in tax by routing profits through tax havens by way of taking on high-interest loans from their owners through the Channel Islands stock exchange.

Ten Asks: http://www.unison-scotland.org.uk/publicworks/Procurement-10asks-regs+guidance_Apr2015.pdf

UNISON is the public sector union, the biggest union in Scotland. UNISON represents workers in Scottish Water and BusinessStream

Gradual drip of privatisation has reached epic proportions in Scottish Water, says UNISON

Tue 3 June

UNISON, Scotland’s largest public service union, says new figures showing the extent of privatisation in Scottish Water should be a major wake-up call to the Scottish Government.

A recent FOI by insider website ‘Utilities Scotland’ has revealed that 92.5 per cent of Scottish Water’s capital programme has been delivered by private contractors over the last four years, while just 7.5 per cent was delivered by Scottish Water staff. UNISON, who has long campaigned to keep Scotland’s water in public hands, says it is merely privatisation through the backdoor.

While Scottish Water is a public service, there has been an incremental drift towards privatisation. Firstly, through the hugely expensive PFI schemes and then by a broader PPP scheme which has seen the extensive contractorisation of Scottish Water.

Scotland’s main political parties have supported public ownership, however, the White Paper ‘Scotland’s Future’ has no mention of a public water service should Scotland vote for independence in September. UNISON is seeking clarification from the Scottish Government that this is simply an omission.

Dave Watson, UNISON Scotland’s Head of Bargaining and Campaigns, said:
“Scottish Water is a public service success story, but we are only too aware that there is a powerful lobby for privatisation. Water is a service, not a commodity and we need a service that puts people before profit.

“These latest disclosures show the gradual drip of privatisation has reached epic proportions. The privatisation sharks are still circling Scottish Water and we need to remain vigilant - Scotland’s water is not for sale.”

ENDS

Notes to editors 

1. For more information see our briefing at: 
http://www.unison-scotland.org.uk/water/
ScottishWaterCapitalInvestmentProgramme_May2014.pdf

2. You can find more information on the FOI at www.utilitiesscotland.com

3. Scottish Water is a public corporation that delivers a publicly-owned water and sewerage service to the people of Scotland, unlike the privatised service in the rest of the UK.

4. Scottish Water has delivered a massive capital programme to update our aging infrastructure. It spends just under £500m a year on infrastructure including pipes and treatment works, funded largely by the water charge payer with borrowing support from the Scottish Government.

5. The SNP, Scottish Labour and the Greens have supported public ownership of Scottish Water with only the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats making the case for privatisation.

6. Campaigning against the privatisation of Scottish Water doesn’t mean clinging to the status quo. In UNISON Scotland’s paper ‘It’s Scotland’s Water’ we highlight other public service models that demonstrate that a more democratic structure can deliver a more efficient, socially responsible and more accountable public water service. Find out more here: http://www.unison-scotland.org.uk/water/

Support public water services as a human right for all on #WorldWaterDay @right2water

22March 2013

UNISON today marked World Water Day with a call for water to be a human right and not for sale.

The public services union used today, March 22, to urge support for a European Citizens Initiative (ECI) that states water and sanitation are essential public services for all.

UNISON is encouraging people in Scotland to sign the water ECI’s online petition demanding that the European Commission stops plans to liberalise water services.

Andy Nisbet, secretary of UNISON’s Scottish Water branch, said: “In Scotland we enjoy the benefits of Scottish Water being publicly owned, a policy which has very, very strong public support.

“Today on World Water Day I encourage everyone who believes water is a human right to sign the petition at right2water.eu .

“We are calling on the European Commission to legislate to implement the human right to water and sanitation as recognised by the United Nations, and promoting the provision of water and sanitation as essential public services for all citizens."

UNISON General Secretary Dave Prentis is a member of the organising committee of the ECI, which will be formally launched on 1^st April.

Andy added: "The ECI is a new form of European action created by the Lisbon treaty.  It provides an opportunity to get the European Commission to listen to citizen views rather than just lobbyists in Brussels.

“Our petition has been the first to gather more than the required one million signatures, to submit the proposals as draft laws. This is a phenomenal achievement.

“But we want to have as many names as possible to deliver the message that water should not be privatised.

"Adding your name to this petition really can make a difference and you will be part of the historic first ECI to be launched.”

ENDS

Notes to editors:

1. UNISON is Scotland’s largest trade union representing 160,000 members working in the public sector in Scotland. As the largest trade union in the Scottish water industry, UNISON members are both providers and users of water in Scotland.

2. UNISON and the other UK public service unions are members of one of the ECI’s supporting organisations – the European Federation of Public Services Unions, and the whole union movement supports it through ETUC.  See ETUC news release.

3. The petition is at www.right2water.eu

4. The objectives are:

“ The EU legislation should require governments to ensure and to provide all citizens with sufficient and clean drinking water and sanitation.

We urge that:

1. The EU institutions and Member States be obliged to ensure that all inhabitants enjoy the right to water and sanitation.

2. Water supply and management of water resources not be subject to ‘internal market rules’ and that water services are excluded from liberalisation.

3. The EU increases its efforts to achieve universal access to water and sanitation."

5. The UN World Water Day website is www.unwater.org/water-cooperation-2013/events/world-water-day/en/

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Water is a Human Right

UNISON Scotland supports the Water is a Human Right campaign.

The campaign is urging the European Commission to:

·guarantee water and sanitation services for all inhabitants;
· keep water services out of internal market rules; and
·increase efforts to achieve global access to water and sanitation for all.

This campaign has a particular relevance to Scotland as we are campaigning to keep our public service out of the hands of the privatisers.

The campaign seeks to reach out to all citizens in Europe. Ask your friends, family and colleagues to sign and promote this campaign further. Our demands will only be taken into consideration if we achieve over one million valid signatures. On the signing page of the website www.right2water.eu

This campaign is a means of getting a commitment to the human right to water and sanitation. It is a tool to change the mind-set in the European Commission from a market-based approach with the focus on competition to a rights-based approach with the focus on public service. It aims to achieve universal (global) access to water and sanitation and to safeguard the limited public water resources for future generations.

Water and sanitation are a human right!
Water is a public good, not a commodity!

CBI budget submission is recipe for misery

Tuesday 28 August 2012  

Business body suggestions fail to support economy, services... or most businesses


Reacting to the CBI Scotland budget submission public services union UNISON condemned the lobbying organisation for big business as being out of touch with reality and stuck in a Thatcherite timewarp.

There is a bit of a contradiction between the CBI call for spending on infrastructure to promote growth and their enthusiastic backing for UK government spending cuts - which have reduced capital spending in Scotland and across the UK. When asked how they will pay for it the CBI advocate cuts in public service wages and jobs.

A strategy of cutting demand won’t get the economy moving - and cutting jobs and wages will only reduce consumer confidence further.

As ever the default position of the CBI is more privatisation of public services – specifically Scottish Water. Scottish Water capital spend is £500m per year - much of it by construction companies – were Scottish water privatised the charge payer would face additional costs to provide profits and massively increased executive pay packages.

UNISON Scotland head of bargaining and campaigns Dave Watson said:
"With their year in year out insistence on cutbacks and privatisation you do wonder who exactly CBI Scotland is representing here. Their proposals won’t help public services, the wider economy or frankly many businesses. Retail and manufacturing business members desperately need consumer spending, instead CBI Scotland argues for or a narrow group of privatising companies, desperate to rip off the taxpayer.

"Needless to say while telling public servants to get poorer and pick up P45s the CBI has nothing to say about top directors pay - which in the midst of economic crisis went up by 50% last year."

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Scotland's water quality even better

The quality of drinking water in Scotland is the best it has ever been, according to the annual report of the Drinking Water Quality Regulator (DWQR).

They report that well over 99 per cent of tests on samples complied with strict regulatory standards. Consumer satisfaction with the water supply across Scotland has also increased. In 2010 with Scottish Water receiving fewer contacts from consumers concerned about the quality of their supplies.

A Drinking Water Quality Regulator (DWQR) spokesman said:
"We are delighted with these results that show Scottish tap water is top quality. Households can be confident that the drinking water from their tap has been tested thousands of times each year, and that it meets some of the tightest quality standards in the world.

In contrast the regulator expressed concern over the quality of private water supplies. 18.35% of samples taken from these supplies last year contained the E.coli bacterium.

Public clearly works. Join the campaign to keep our public water service out of the hands of the privatisers. It's Scotland's water and it's not for sale.

UNISON: FOI reveals Scottish Water has no business cases for PFI deals - and Parliament was misled

Monday 22 August 2011

No business cases can be traced for multi-million pound PFI wastewater contracts – and a Scottish Parliament committee appears to have been misled – according to a decision by the Scottish Information Commissioner over Scottish Water.

UNISON Scotland has welcomed the groundbreaking Freedom of Information (FOI) decision by Scottish Information Commissioner Kevin Dunion, but said it was “scandalous” that it showed Scottish Water has no business cases for nine PFI contracts.

The decision also reveals that Scottish Water conceded it may have misled a Scottish Parliament Committee over the documents.

The Commissioner Kevin Dunion has ordered Scottish Water to provide UNISON with full financial information on its PFI wastewater contracts, over-ruling their objections that this would substantially prejudice the confidentiality of commercial or industrial information.

Following a lengthy investigation, he found that, incredibly, Scottish Water does not hold any Full Business Cases (FBCs) for the multi-million pound water and sewerage PFI contracts, therefore does not have to release them to UNISON.

FBCs are supposed to provide the case for proceeding with a PFI contract although critics, including UNISON, argue the figures are often ‘massaged’ to support PFI over conventional financing.

The Commissioner’s Decision Notice shows that Scottish Water admitted, in effect, to misleading the Scottish Parliament’s Transport & Environment Committee in 2001, informing him that “it was possible a document had been liberally referred to as an FBC when it was not actually an FBC.”

UNISON’s Scottish Organiser Dave Watson said it was “scandalous” that either the projects had been approved without any FBCs that could be scrutinised to examine claimed value for money issues, or that these key documents had been lost.

He added: “Scottish Water says that FBCs were not required to be carried out for these early PFI projects, but the Scottish Government’s own website still to this day says that FBCs were published for two of the nine contracts and Scottish Water told MSPs that at least three existed, yet it has not been able to trace them.

“We also asked the then Scottish Executive for these documents and they too said they were not held, but at that time we assumed at least that Scottish Water would have them. We will be pursuing the mystery of the missing or non-existent FBCs with the Scottish Government again.

“We expect MSPs will also be concerned to learn that they were led to believe in 2001 that FBCs were carried out when it seems highly likely that these contracts were approved on the basis of minimal ‘back of an envelope’ calculations, which is a disgrace.”

The nine contracts, most of which run for 30 years, cost nearly £600 million in capital costs and around £130 million annually.

Following UNISON’s initial Freedom of Information request to Scottish Water in 2006, some information from seven contracts was provided at different stages, with all of the information from three being released - Moray, Tay and Daldowie. (The Scottish Executive had separately provided some information on two other water PFI contracts.)

Mr Dunion said: “Scottish Water did not provide any reasoning as to why the disclosure of particular information in certain contracts appears not to have damaged Scottish Water’s interests while the disclosure of similar information in other contracts would, or would be likely to, prejudice those interests substantially.”

Dave Watson added: “For too long commercial confidentiality has been used to keep the true costs of PFI from the public. This decision shows how important it is for Freedom of Information legislation to be extended to cover private companies providing public services as so many are not covered, including the privatised English water companies.

“In this case, the Scottish Information Commissioner concluded that the information withheld was subject to the Environmental Information (Scotland) Regulations 2004. The EIRs can cover the contractors whereas FOI legislation doesn’t. The Scottish Government last year dropped their limited plans to extend the legislation but should reconsider this urgently.”


ENDS


Notes to editors

1. The full Decision Notice ‘Decision 166/2011 Unison and Scottish Water PFI/PPP Wastewater contracts Reference No 200701447’ is available from Monday 22 August on the Scottish Information Commissioner’s website at www.itspublicknowledge.info/ApplicationsandDecisions/Decisions/Decisions.php

2. The  Scottish  Parliament’s Transport & Environment Committee 2001 Report on Inquiry into Water and the Water Industry is at www.scottish.parliament.uk/business/committees/historic/x-transport/reports-01/trr01-09-vol01-01.htm. The reference to a document referred to as an FBC when it was not is at paragraph 57.

3. The Scottish Government information on PFI/PPP contracts ‘Done Deals’ is at www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Government/Finance/18232/donedeals

4. UNISON Scotland’s Report ‘At What Cost’ is at www.unison-scotland.org.uk/comms/atwhatcostoct07.pdf

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Dangers of privatisation

The Sunday Herald has today published damning evidence of the dangers of handing over public services to private firms.

FoI requests show that the taxpayer is spending £4.8bn for sewage plants that cost £600m to build. And they don't even work properly. They have been plagued by a series of mechanical failures, leaks and bad smells. Their performances have been so poor that Scottish Water has imposed financial penalties totalling £7.5m on PFI operators.

The irony is that these plants are run by the very same multi-national companies who want to take over Scottish Water.

World Water Day - EPSU calls for implementation of UN resolution

On World Water Day, 22 March 2011, the European Federation of Public Services Unions (EPSU) calls on the European Union and Member States to implement the United Nations resolution on the Right to Water and Sanitation without delay.

The UN General Assembly voted on 28 July 2010 for this resolution which declares that access to water and sanitation services is a fundamental human right. Although this resolution has no binding authority, it expresses global consensus. Shamefully several EU Member States abstained. That is why EPSU calls upon the EU again to put in place this right for Europe’s citizens.

It is imperative that governments dedicate the necessary resources to ensure universal access to water and sanitation at an affordable price. Most governments can afford to do this, yet choose not to. This is a political problem, not a market problem. It is up to workers and trade unions, in alliance with civil society and other progressive forces to impose the necessary political pressure.

EPSU repeats its support for the European Parliament declaration to keep the management of water resources not subject to internal market rules. It also states its support for public ownership and management of water and water utilities. Privatisation has induced inequalities and exclusion and has often led to steep water-rate hikes, water-service disruptions and unaccountable management. A recent trend is a return to public management of water services. Local governments’ awareness of market failures in public services is increasing.

We believe that water and sanitation services are a fundamental responsibility of governments and must not be outsourced for private profit. These are essential Quality Public Services that our families and communities depend on. Water is life.

UNISON welcomes Water Bill consultation

UNISON Scotland today welcomed the announcement of a consultation over the proposed Scottish Water Bill. The aim of the Bill remains to keep Scottish Water in public ownership, but to allow the utility to expand its operations and engage in wider activities such as renewable energy projects.

It also provides an opportunity to promote a wider vision of water resources. UNISON particularly welcomes the Minister’s commitment to retain the control of Scottish Water in public ownership.

UNISON’s Scottish Organiser Dave Watson said: “UNISON Scotland shares the long term vision that Scotland’s water is much more than the provision of a utility. It is a vital economic asset that will become even more important in the years to come. If the 20th Century was dominated by oil, then the 21st Century will be dominated by water provision. Wet countries like Scotland are well placed to exploit the economic and environmental opportunities.”

UNISON expects that the usual vested interests will use the Bill consultation to yet again argue the case for privatisation. This would involve selling off assets paid for by the taxpayer over many years at a fraction of its true value.

We would be selling off huge swathes of Scotland, almost certainly to foreign interests, together with the opportunity to exploit Scotland’s water potential for the benefit of big business rather than the people. Charge payers would face higher bills to pay for the purchase debt, fees and directors salaries.

Dave Watson added: “Those arguing for privatisation, or the Trojan horse that is mutualisation, have no vision beyond a quick profit for their companies. They are tied to a narrow privatisation ideology that Scotland rightly rejects. When communities across the world are reclaiming their water, it would be crazy for Scotland to abandon our greatest asset.”

UNISON Scotland regards the Bill consultation as an important step towards a broader approach to water in Scotland. The current approach of the Scottish Water Board and the regulatory framework can act as barrier to this larger vision for Scotland’s water.

Scotland needs a democratically accountable, strategic approach to water that is broader than simply providing a utility, important though that is. On Scottish Water much emphasis is placed on the £140m of government financing for capital in the current financial difficulties. Less well known is the fact that £90m is returned through loan repayment.

None of this would be necessary if Scottish Water had prudential borrowing powers and UNISON would argue for the early adoption of this approach. The implementation of the Calman recommendations or the relaxation of HMRC budget guidance could achieve this.

This would also enable a public service solution to the exploitation of the renewable energy opportunities, rather than another expensive ‘partnership’. We need to develop Scotland’s capacity to exploit renewable energy.

For further information please see UNISON Scotland’s Defend Scotland’s Water briefing at http://www.unison-scotland.org.uk/water/index.html

UNISON Scotland Briefing for MSPs on Independent Budget Review

9 September 2010

Ahead of a debate on the Independent Budget Review in the Scottish Parliament this morning, UNISON Scotland has published a Briefing for MSPs on our website www.unison-scotland.org.uk

 "The IBR report does not address the disastrous consequences of spending cuts for Scotland. Whilst some of the factual analysis is helpful, the solutions are largely a rather tired rehash of right wing economic orthodoxy. There is an alternative, and UNISON is calling on MSPs to champion a better way forward for Scotland."

Briefing: Key Points

• The financial projections, whilst disastrous for public services and the economy, actually understate the scale of cuts in local services.
• There is a credible economic alternative to cuts in public spending.
• The privatisation of Scottish Water would contribute nothing to the capital budget; result in higher bills to the charge payer and transfer control of Scotland’s greatest asset abroad.
• Outsourcing will cost more and break up integrated service delivery.
• Shared services will make, at best, only a long term contribution to cost savings.
• It is unfair to ask public service workers to pay for the failure of private corporate folly through pay cuts and reduced pensions.
• Universal provision is more efficient and contributes to a better performing more equal society.
• Cuts at this level and at this time in the economic cycle, will damage the economy and result in huge job cuts in the private as well as the public sector.
• There is a better way! At UNISON Public Works and the STUC Better Way websites.

See full briefing here: Briefing for MSPs


.

UNISON comprehensively rejects the Independent Budget Review proposals

Date: Thursday 29 July 2010

UNISON Scotland today comprehensively rejected the Independent Budget Review proposals as an assault on public services that will damage the economy.

Scottish Organiser Glyn Hawker said:

“This is not an attempt to balance the books. It is a major assault on vital public services and it is about opening up profit opportunities for the fat cats.

“The report hides behind a rhetoric of ‘tough choices’ and ‘targeting’, but what these proposals will do is reduce the quality of life for all but the richest, as the services we use are removed or run down.

“Once the Scottish people realise that this means handing over their water service to the bankers, reducing the quality of their child’s education and cutting back on their elderly relatives’ care, they will reject this agenda.”

As well as up to 60,000 job losses, the report includes a range of proposals that run the risk of putting us back into recession.

Glyn added:
“Job losses on this scale will of course hit services. And their insistence on redundancies and pay freezes run the risk of taking us back into recession. With 70p in every pound spent on public services finding its way back into the local economy the programme of mass redundancies and real terms wage cuts will be a real blow to many local economies across Scotland.”

UNISON, the largest public services union, has said all along that the real issue is the kind of services our society wants and how we pay for them. It is wrong for politicians to be willing to make cuts on such a scale, yet not to consider fair taxation. The Scottish Parliament has tax varying powers and the people of Scotland voted for it to have them.

The report suggests the council tax freeze is unsustainable and that is correct, but UNISON would also say it is unsustainable not to look at asking those who can pay more in tax to do so.

Glyn said:
“Cuts on this scale will hit middle and low income families hard and will be especially hard on women. If classroom assistants lose their jobs, mums will be expected to volunteer. They also face cuts in before and after school services that could affect whether they can work.”


UNISON response to the Report’s chapter conclusions and recommendations:

Public Spending Environment
UNISON believes all public services are valuable, and should be ring fenced. Why should the ordinary people of Scotland pay for the bankers’ greed? Let us be clear though - the Independent Budget Review argues for a policy of no protected areas in public sector: this means health and education will face cuts along with the rest of our public services.

Fair taxes and government borrowing remain the most cost-effective ways of funding public spending.


Efficiency
The Review accepts that efficiencies will become ever more "challenging" - and then sets a minimum 2% annual efficiency target. The real agenda however is revealed in the well worn recommendations for shared services arrangements across the public sector; and "mainstream roles" for the private and voluntary/third sectors in the delivery of public services. These are not plans for efficient and effective public services - they are in fact costly and inefficient ways of opening up public services to profiteers.


Remuneration and workforce
The loss of up to 60,000 jobs will have a major impact on services. The proper place to deal with public sector pay is in negotiations. Pay freezes and pay cuts for public service workers will damage economic recovery, and hit local communities and small businesses too. UNISON will continue to campaign for fair pay as inflation rises around 5%.

Flexibility would open up issues of equal pay which we are only now resolving after 40 years of the Equal Pay Act.


Universal services
Introducing charges and means testing to services that currently benefit everyone creates an expensive new bureaucracy. If there is a concern that some people are receiving services they can well afford, the value for money option is to charge them via taxation rather than setting up a ‘department for social insecurity’ to administer charging.


Capital
Scottish Water should remain in democratic control. Setting it up as a ‘public interest company’ would be privatisation by stealth.

An enhanced role for the Scottish Futures Trust is likely to see further wasteful use of private financing for public sector projects. Lessons must be learned from the hugely expensive PFI/PPP projects.


Shaping the future
Scotland’s Parliament should provide leadership by working to fund quality public services and resisting a cuts and privatisation agenda.


ends



Notes to Editors:

1. UNISON responses to the report, including two earlier releases today, are here on our frequently updated blog at: http://unison-scotland.blogspot.com/

2. UNISON’s alternative budget is at: www.unison.org.uk/acrobat/18887.pdf

3. UNISON’s submission to the Independent Budget Review is at: http://www.unison-scotland.org.uk/response/UNISONResponse_IndependentBudgetReviewApril2010.pdf



For Further Information Please Contact:
Glyn Hawker, Scottish Organiser (Bargaining & Equal Pay) 07876 441 237
Fiona Montgomery, Communications Officer 0141 342 2877 (o) 07908 672 890 (m)
Malcolm Burns, Communications Officer 0141 342 2877 (o) 07958 063 182 (m)

 
 

'Not in the public interest': UNISON calls on government to reject privatisation of Scottish Water by stealth

Defend Scotland's Water: briefing
on the case for public ownership.
Click here for pdf

Date: Thu 29 July 2010

UNISON has called on the Scottish Government to reject the proposal to effectively privatise Scottish Water contained in the Independent Budget Review.

Gerry Crawley, Regional Organiser, said:

"The proposal to privatise Scottish Water by stealth is not acceptable - and is certainly not in the public interest. We call on the Scottish Government to reject this unwise proposal.

"The pro-privatisation sharks have been circling around Scottish Water, first proposing a different funding mechanism, then a supposedly mutual model. The latest disguise is what they call a 'public interest company' similar to Welsh Water. These are all attempts to privatise by stealth.

Gerry Crawley said:
"We certainly do not want follow the Welsh Water model as a mutual or 'public interest company'. In the capital intensive water industry, bodies like these are effectively controlled by the private financial institutions. They would insist that their risk is minimised by transferring services and jobs to English and European private water companies. That is what is happening at Welsh Water."

"Any move away from democratic control and towards private funding - including under the guise of a 'public interest company' - would actually cost us all more. The people of Scotland do not want to see profiteering from such an essential public service. It is simply not in the public interest."

Gerry Crawley said:
“Scottish Water belongs to the people. It is owned by the Scottish government for the Scottish people. This issue has already been settled by a referendum. UNISON is 100% certain that the Scottish people will reject any attempt to remove Scottish Water from democratic control."


ends


Note for Editors:

1. UNISON’s recent briefing Defend Scotland’s Water has highlighted how the pro-privatisation sharks are circling around Scottish Water; why these vested interests want it sold off at a knock-down price; and how private finance would lead to private control. Defend Scotland’s Water is available on the UNISONScotland website at http://www.unison-scotland.org.uk/water/defendscotlandswater_mar2010.pdf

2. UNISON, along with the STUC and the other unions involved in the water industry all believe that we should join with the worldwide movement in favour of democratisation of water. The unions have produced a discussion paper It’s Scotland’s Water outlining ways to greater accountability for Scottish Water. It is available on the UNISON website at http://www.unison-scotland.org.uk/water/scotland's_water.pdf


For Further Information Please Contact:
Gerry Crawley, Regional Organiser 07958 121 805 (m)
Fiona Montgomery, Communications Officer 0141 342 2877 (o) 07908 672 890 (m)
Malcolm Burns, Communications Officer 0141 342 2877 (o) 07958 063 182 (m)

 
 
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Removal of Scottish Water from democratic control would be unwise

Date: Fri 23 July 2010

UNISON today urged the Scottish Government to maintain Scottish Water in public control.

The public services union rejected recent calls for any form of privatisation or mutualisation and warned that these are being promoted by vested interests.

Gerry Crawley, Regional Organiser, said: “We are calling on Ministers to ensure that Scottish Water stays in public hands.

“The usual suspects, including the Scottish Futures Trust, have recently suggested some form of sell-off, but the people of Scotland do not want to see profiteering from such an essential public service.

“The Independent Budget Review report from the ‘three wise men’ is due next week. If it argues for some form of mutualisation or privatisation, Ministers should stand up for Scotland by keeping the nation’s greatest economic asset publicly owned.”

UNISON’s recent briefing ‘Defend Scotland’s Water’ highlighted how the pro-privatisation sharks are circling around Scottish Water and why these vested interests want it sold off at a knock-down price.

Gerry added: “We in the trade union movement urge politicians across the political spectrum to defend Scotland’s water from the privatisation sharks.

“It’s Scotland’s water and it would be unwise to remove it from democratic control.”


Note for Editors:

1. The UNISON briefing Defend Scotland’s Water is available on the UNISONScotland website at http://www.unison-scotland.org.uk/water/defendscotlandswater_mar2010.pdf

2. UNISON, along with the STUC and the other unions involved in the water industry all believe that we should join with the worldwide movement in favour of democratisation of water. The unions have produced a discussion paper It’s Scotland’s Water outlining ways to greater accountability for Scottish Water. It is available on the UNISON website at http://www.unison-scotland.org.uk/water/scotland's_water.pdf

 
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UNISON slams water sell-off report as ideological dogma

Date: 8 April 2010


UNISON Scotland today condemned the conclusions of the report published by the Centre for Public Policy and Regions (CPPR), calling for private sector take over of Scottish Water, as bizarre, saying that Scotland’s water is a national asset - not a pool for multinationals to drain profits from.

UNISON Scottish Organiser Dave Watson said;
“This report is simply another attempt by consultants to exploit the financial crisis to advocate privatisation. The CPPR report correctly says that Scottish Water is a ‘notable success’, but then, bizarrely, goes on to recommend failed private sector models like PPP/ PFI or even privatisation. Given the ‘success’ of private sector banks recently this sounds like the recipe for disaster, poorer service and higher water charges.

“The report says that the Scottish Government can no longer afford the small borrowing line it provides to Scottish Water, and it should be spent elsewhere on ‘front line’ services. Since when is providing quality water supplies and removing sewage not a front line service? All their ‘alternatives’ are failed privatising schemes.

“Scottish Water gave up on PFI some 12 years ago for good reasons - because it costs a fortune. Even the pro-privatisation Water Industry Commission has stated that the schemes are not cost effective.

“Privatisation or mutualisation would mean selling off public assets built up over many years, at taxpayers expense, at a knock down price. Add to that dividends, profits, fat cat salaries and consultancy fees - all to be funded by the water charge payer. Ask any fan of Manchester Utd if they think bringing in a new debt laden owner is a good business model!.

“There appears to be no logical rationale behind this rehashed report. The real reason for it is that the usual suspects just hate a successful public sector model. It goes against their dogma - it doesn't fit the ideology.

“People want Scotland’s water to remain a public service – not a pool that multi nationals drain for profit."

ENDS

Note for Editors:
1) The unions have produced a discussion paper It’s Scotland’s Water outlining ways to greater accountability for Scottish Water. It is available on the UNISON website at http://www.unison-scotland.org.uk/water/scotland's_water.pdf

For Further Information Please Contact:
Dave Watson (Scottish Organiser) 07958 122 409 (m)
Chris Bartter (Communications Officer) 0771 558 3729 (m)



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Sharks circling Scottish Water - UNISON

Date: 30 March 2010

The largest union in Scottish Water, UNISON, today accused government agencies of being part of a concerted campaign to use the financial crisis as cover for the privatisation of Scotland’s water.

In launching its policy briefing Defend Scotland’s Water, the union pointed to previous statements in favour of privatisation by the Water Industry Commission Chair, Sir Ian Byatt; the recent announcement by The Scottish Futures Trust (SFT) that it is looking at privatisation; and the comments of one of the Scottish Government’s ‘Independent’ Budget Review panel members – Crawford Beveridge - on BBC Newsnight Scotland last night, suggesting this issue should be examined again.

Speaking at a meeting of UNISON water representatives, Dave Watson UNISON Scottish Organiser said:
“The sharks are circling again around Scotland’s greatest asset – our water. The regulatory regime has been preparing Scottish Water for privatisation for some time, driven by the ideological zeal of the Water Industry Commission Chair, Sir Ian Byatt. He has been joined by the SFT led by another privatisation advocate and banker, Sir Angus Grossart. Given this concerted campaign supported by the private sector who are keen to get their hands on our water at a knock down price, we need to make it crystal clear, that water is both, an essential public service, and, given the global water crisis, one of Scotland’s greatest economic assets.”

The UNISON briefing outlines the huge costs of privatisation to the water charge payer, including higher borrowing costs, billing systems, and dividends It also points to the beneficiaries of privatisation being the corporate financiers, consultants and company directors – particularly of the big overseas water multinationals who would target the privatised company.

UNISION also points to the continued ‘marking down’ of the value of Scottish Water’s assets, from £15bn when the corporation was created, down to current discussions of around £1bn, This is in order to make the package an attractive price for the private sector, particularly given the massive programme of investments the taxpayer has funded. Despite this investment and the additional costs of delivering this service in Scotland charges are lower than the UK average.

UNISON also rejects the supposed ‘alternative’ of mutualisation. Dave Watson said:
“In a capital intensive industry like water, mutualisation is not a co-operative solution. All services would be delivered by private water companies with all the costs of privatisation. It sounds cuddly and safe, but in reality it is a Trojan horse for privatisation. “UNISON, along with the STUC and the other unions involved in the water industry have been engaged in the debate about the future of Scottish Water, and we all believe that we should join with the worldwide movement in favour of democratisation of this essential service*.”


ENDS

Note for Editors:

1) The UNISON briefing is available on the UNISONScotland website at http://www.unison-scotland.org.uk/water/defendscotlandswater_mar2010.pdf

2) *The unions have produced a discussion paper It’s Scotland’s Water outlining ways to greater accountability for Scottish Water. It is available on the UNISON website at http://www.unison-scotland.org.uk/water/scotland's_water.pdf


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UNISON Scottish Water Branch launches new website

Weds 2 December 2009

UNISON Scottish Water Branch today launches its new website. The Branch represents 1200 staff in Scotland's public water authority - Scottish Water.

http://www.unisonscottishwater.org.uk/

The new website will keep members up to date with the latest news on Branch and UNISON Scotland matters.

On this site Scottish Water members can also:

· find out where to get help and advice

· contact the Branch

· find out about UNISON membership

· catch up with Branch information such as health & safety and education courses

· connect to other useful websites

· there's even a page for retired members

UNISON Scottish Water Branch members are encouraged to add the new website to their favourites and check it regularly for updates.

UNISON Scottish Water Branch looks after the interests of operatives and office staff in water and wastewater treatment, water and sewerage networks, laboratories, call centres, design and construction of capital works - i.e. all categories of employee in all the functions of the authority, with members in offices and depots throughout Scotland.

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UNISON calls for action following public sector agency pay report

Date: Mon 22 June 2009


UNISON Scotland has strongly welcomed proposals by the Scottish Parliament Finance Committee to tackle unfairness, delay and low pay in the wage bargaining system for public sector agency staff.

UNISON - the largest public sector union - is calling on Cabinet Secretary John Swinney to engage directly with unions and employers to implement the recommendations of the Finance Committee's Report on Public Sector Pay.

Dave Watson, Scottish Organiser for UNISON, said:
"We welcome the recommendations from this report, and strongly urge the Scottish Government to act on them as soon as possible. The committee has clearly listened to the evidence led by UNISON and others about the delays, bureaucracy and complexities that bedevil the current system for paying public sector agency staff."

The Report on Public Sector Pay by the Scottish Parliament's Finance Committee published today includes recommmendations to: ensure that low pay is addressed properly; review pay systems and the costs of addressing discrimination; and review controversial senior staff bonuses.

The Finance Committee states that the process used to determine pay for workers in public sector agencies has "further room for improvement". The report is critical of delays in wage awards, and stresses the need for formal bargaining machinery, relevant benchmarks, and local flexibility.

Dave Watson said:
"It is clearly also unfair that the senior agency staff - like those running the Government's new Scottish Futures Trust - can attract huge salaries and substantial bonuses, even topping the chief executives of our largest councils, while lower-paid staff experience substantial delays to get less than the rate of inflation, with little or no opportunity for negotiation or flexibility."


ends


Notes for Editors:

1. UNISON is Scotland’s largest public sector trade union representing 165,000 members across public services. UNISON members work to deliver vital services not just in Scotland’s NHS and local government, but in a significant number of Non Departmental Public Bodies (NDPBs) such as Scottish Children’s Reporter Administration (SCRA); Scottish Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA); Scottish Commission for the Regulation of Care (SCRC); Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park (LLTNPA); and Careers Scotland/Skills Development Scotland.

2. The UNISON Scotland submission on Public Sector Pay to the Scottish Parliament Finance Committee in December 2008 can be found on our website http://www.unison-scotland.org.uk/response/publicsectorpay08.html

3. The Report on Public Sector Pay by the Scottish Parliament's Finance Committee can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/s3/committees/finance/reports-09/fir09-04.htm


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UNISON Scotland calls on Euro candidates to make pledge for World Water Day

Date: Friday 20 March 2009
Embargo: 00.01am Sunday 22 March 2009



Sunday 22 March is World Water Day. Across the world campaign groups will be highlighting the importance of clean water and sanitation. UNISON, Scotland’s water trade union is supporting that campaign by asking European Parliament candidates in the June election to sign up to the following pledge:

• To recognise access to safe and clean water and sanitation services as a human right.
• To organise the World Water Forum by the United Nations, rather than a private body like the World Water Council.
• To promote Public-Public Partnerships rather than public-private partnerships.
• To support the maintenance of Scottish Water as a public sector utility.

As in Scotland, 90% of the world's water utilities are publicly owned. Research undertaken by the University of Greenwich (PSIRU) and the World Development Movement has confirmed that the private sector hardly invests in water services when they take over and that most of the large multinational companies have withdrawn from this field of operation. With the financial crisis, several of these companies, including Veolia and Suez Environment, have announced that they will reduce their investment plans. Rather then investing, they are cost-cutting. It is therefore not realistic to believe that the private sector will assist in bringing in investment to reach the Millennium Development Goals.

UNISON Scotland is therefore arguing that the EU should approve and support this pledge in its preparation for the World Water Forum, and make funds available to stimulate public-public partnerships.

UNISON Scottish Organiser Dave Watson said:

“Across the world communities are rejecting the privatisation of water services. Yet in Scotland, despite the economic crisis, we still have a few supporters of market madness who champion this cause. Public water operators bring us closer to meeting the needs of billions who are without regular drinking water and sanitation services. Private companies cannot be allowed to profit from this most basic need”

ends


Notes to editors:
UNISON Scotland has written to all the European candidates from all of Scotland's main political parties: Labour, SNP, LibDems, Conservative and Greens asking them to sign up to our four World Water Day pledges.

The PSIRU research can be found at:

Pipe Dreams - the failure of private sector investment in water services
http://www.psiru.org/reports/2006-03-W-investment.pdf

Sewerage works - about public investment in sanitation services
http://www.psiru.org/reports/2008-03-W-sewers.pdf

UN report
http://webworld.unesco.org/water/wwap/wwdr/wwdr3/index.shtml

UNISON Scotland/STUC report ‘It’s Scotland’s Water’
http://www.unison-scotland.org.uk/water/scotland's_water.pdf

World Water Day is Sunday 22 March 2009
The European Elections will be on Thursday 4 June 2009

UNISON comment on CBI 's 'double whammy' for the Scottish taxpayer

For immediate release Date: 19 January 2009

UNISON, the largest union representing Scotland’s water and sewage workers, today accused the CBI Scotland of wanting to hit Scots with a ‘double whammy’, by advocating a PFI solution for the new Forth Bridge, and/or selling off Scottish Water to pay for it. These are both ‘solutions’ advocated by Iain McMillan of CBI Scotland at a conference this morning.

UNISON’s Scottish Organiser Dave Watson said:

“Not content with championing PFI to build the new Forth Road bridge, which will effectively cost the price of two bridges to fund one, so that their members can make a nice profit, Mr McMillan wants to cost Scotland’s taxpayers the extra water charges that will be needed to fund the fat cats to take over Scottish Water – a real double whammy for the Scottish Taxpayer.

“What is disappointing in this, is not that the spokesperson for the private sector wants more profits for his members, but that there are two political parties in Holyrood who seem to want to go along with this. Both the Tories and the Liberals seem to have swallowed the myths about private sector efficiencies. You would think that recent experiences would have changed that view.

“UNISON, along with the STUC and the other unions involved in the water industry have been engaged in the debate about the future of Scottish Water, and we all believe that there should be greater democratisation of the service, but it must remain in public hands.”

ENDS

Note for Editors: The unions have produced a discussion paper It’s Scotland’s Water that outlines some ways to allow greater accountability for Scottish Water, and how important the service is for public health and socio-economic development. It is available on the UNISON website at http://www.unison-scotland.org.uk/water/scotland's_water.pdf

For Further Information Please Contact:
Dave Watson (Scottish Organiser) 07958 122 409 (m)
Chris Bartter (Communications Officer) 0771 558 3729(m)