Unions in Scottish Power agree breakthrough 10% pay deal

12 Sept 2012

Unions in Scottish Power agree breakthrough 10% pay deal

Trade unions representing thousands of workers in the Energy Networks and Connections businesses of Scottish Power have agreed a breakthrough 10% pay rise over three years. The deal agreed by trade union members of UNISON, GMB, Unite and Prospect runs from 1 January 2012. It guarantees workers an above inflation increase in year one.

Gerry Crawley, Regional Organiser of the biggest energy union UNISON and one of the lead trade union negotiators in Scottish Power, said:

“Union members in Energy Networks and Connections now have guaranteed pay rises over three years. This pay deal is a major breakthrough in the private sector and in particular in utilities, as it represents an above inflation increase in year one. 

 “Our hard working members have recently had to endure an imposed pay freeze. They worked throughout that period without any rise and continued to deliver a professional service.

“Now they are getting a guaranteed pay rise for the next three years and that will be welcome news for them and their families in this time of economic austerity and rising prices.”

The 10% pay rise over three years has taken almost a year to negotiate with Scottish Power due to the complexities contained within the offer.

Mike Kirby, UNISON Scottish Secretary commented:

“This is excellent news for UNISON members in Scottish Power and for the members of the other three unions as well. An above inflation increase for union members in Scottish Power in year one demonstrates yet again the benefits of being in a trade union – it was experienced trade union negotiators who secured this 10% three year deal.

“The Westminster coalition government would rather see no pay rises - but UNISON and the other TUC affiliated  trade unions north and south of the border will continue to negotiate and fight for decent pay for all of their members.”

ENDS

Notes for editors

1. Trade union members of UNISON, GMB, Unite and Prospect collectively agreed today to accept what was on offer from Scottish Power management. This is a complex pay deal covering the period 1 January 2012 to 31 December 2014. It covers a new job evaluation and pay and grading structure, and it ensures that there is a 4% pay rise in Year 1, a 3% pay rise in Year 2 and a 3% pay rise in Year 3. The pay deal covers Scottish Power trade union members in Scotland, England and Wales.

2. UNISON is the largest union in the electricity sector in Scotland. In this section of Scottish Power over 85% of employees are a members of a trade union.

.

UNISON considers legal action over transfer of 300 staff on critical ScottishPower contract

29 March 2011

UNISON, the union for power industry staff, is considering legal action over the proposed transfer this Friday of 300 vital IT staff who provide support to critical IT systems for ScottishPower.

The union has urged ScottishPower and its owners, Spanish conglomerate Iberdrola, to reconsider its shock announcement terminating their IT support contract with major supplier Accenture with effect from Friday 1^st April - just 12 months after signing a 10 year deal – and award the contract to IBM without consultation.

Dave Watson, UNISON Scottish Organiser said:

“Not only does this impact on the 307 workers - but the practicalities of transferring the support of critical national infrastructure from one employer to another in just three days could put major systems at risk, threatening the operations of a major national energy supplier.

“UNISON will be taking all necessary steps to urge decision makers to reconsider the timetable for the transfer. We want to ensure that the continuity of energy supply and the future of critical IT support workers are not subject to risk in a contractual spat between suppliers.”

UNISON represents the majority of the 307 workers employed by Accenture to carry out the IT support contract at East Kilbride in Scotland and at Queensferry in North Wales. UNISON reps at both sites expressed astonishment on being told that Accenture has not been granted any extension by ScottishPower to carry out its legal obligations under TUPE to consult the workforce on the transfer to new supplier IBM.

ENDS

Note to editors

ScottishPower, which is owned by Spanish company Iberdrola, signed a 10 year contract with Accenture 12 months ago covering the IT support contract. Around 200 work on this contract at East Kilbride in Scotland and around 100 work at Queensferry in North Wales. In November 2010, a proposal to cut large numbers of staff on the Accenture contract was withdrawn after months of negotiations between trade unions, Accenture, ScottishPower and parent company Iberdrola.



.

UNISON welcomes withdrawal of Accenture jobs threat

UNISON has today welcomed the announcement by Accenture of its withdrawal of redundancy proposals from employees working on its ScottishPower contract.

This outcome means that hundreds of employees – based in East Kilbride (South Lanarkshire) and Queensferry (North Wales) – who were facing redundancy and the insecurity of unemployment as Christmas approached can now look forward to a more stable flow of work and job security for the foreseeable future.

The announcement by Accenture follows months of detailed negations and discussions between trade unions, Accenture, ScottishPower and parent company Iberdrola.

Accenture told staff this week it had secured significant new project work and had therefore extended the scope of its support contract with ScottishPower.

Gerry Crawley, regional organiser for UNISON, said: “This is great news for our members who have gone through a difficult time and suffered a lengthy period of uncertainty about their jobs.

“This decision is testament to the hard work of all those involved, together with the support of local politicians, in preventing job losses at a time of great economic uncertainty.”

In a statement to its ScottishPower workforce, Accenture said: “We consider this to be a very positive outcome. It is a position that saves jobs for the foreseeable future and will result in a stable demand position for additional project work to at least the end of 2011 and hopefully beyond.”

Lights could go out if ScottishPower jobs are cut - UNISON

Date: Friday 23 July 2010


Plans by ScottishPower and Accenture to cut 200 IT jobs - half of them from East Kilbride - and offshore the work to India could result in the lights going out in the UK, UNISON warned today.

UNISON Regional Officer Gerry Crawley said:
"Not only is offshoring these jobs to India a betrayal of loyal and highly qualified UK workers, it is putting vital national infrastructure at risk. To move critical IT skills and knowledge, built up over decades to an offshore operation which has no experience of ScottishPower’s IT infrastructure and operations is highly risky.

"These skilled workers support systems which are vital in helping to 'keep the lights on' during major storms as well as systems which underpin safety critical operations for field staff and the public."

Accenture, a consultancy which has just won a 10 year $200 million contract to support vital IT systems for ScottishPower, plans to make 200 workers redundant in the UK and outsource the work to India in order to cut costs. More than half of the jobs under threat are in East Kilbride.

UNISON is calling on the companies to reconsider the job cuts.

Gerry Crawley said:
"We are challenging ScottishPower and Iberdrola to explain how these offshoring plans square with their legal obligations and undertakings to fulfil their license conditions and maintain a secure electricity supply."
 
ends


Notes for editors:


1. Global outsourcing technology and consulting company Accenture has just won a 10 year contract worth around $200 million to support ScottishPower’s IT systems. Under Accenture's proposals 190 permanent employees and 14 contractors will lose their jobs, which is 60% of the UK workforce supporting ScottishPower's IT systems. More than half of the jobs at risk are based at Peel Park in East Kilbride with the remainder in Queensferry, North Wales. Scottish Power's IT workforce was outsourced in 2000 and over the last 6 years more than 100 jobs have been moved to India.

2. ScottishPower was acquired by Spanish energy company Iberdrola in 2006. ScottishPower made a pre-tax profit of over £760 million in 2009 which was enough to provide a £390 million dividend to Iberdrola.

3. UNISON is the main union in ScottishPower, representing around 2,000 staff.


.