Sharks are circling again for Scottish Water
UNISON's Dave Watson warned that 'the
sharks are circling again' as the CBI and right
wing think tanks campaign for Water privatisation.
He laid into the by Water Industry
Commission, led by Sir Ian Byatt, a former privatisation
adviser to Margaret Thatcher.
To laughter from delegates, Dave said,
"This is the man we the charge payer pay £36k
for a flat in Stirling, £11k on flights and
£8k on taxis - no wonder he is also a climate
change denier - he is causing much of it!"
The Scottish Futures Trust was one
of the 'new sharks in the reservoir - or should
I say the sewage pipes' as it has 'given up on building
schools and hospitals and now wants to argue for
the privatisation of Scottish Water.'
This was "apparently at the personal
request of its Chair, Sir Angus Grossart. One of
the very same breed of bankers who got us into the
financial mess", said Dave.
The latest case for privatisation
is the financial crisis. "We can't afford Scottish
Water - the money should be spent on front-line
services. Excuse me, since when is clean drinking
water and the avoidance of disease by safely removing
sewage, not an essential public service?" asked
Dave.
Across the world communities are rejecting
privatisation. In Paris, they are taking water back
into public control. The most efficient water services
in Europe are in public control.
Dave urged delegates to read 'It's
Scotland's Water' on the STUC website and tell the
'think tanks, consultants and other parasites -
it's our water and it's not for sale".
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