Opinion: Thames Water makes case for renationalisation … now!

By UNISON’s head of environment, Donna Rowe-Merriman

Shadowy overseas private equity firms have sucked all the good out of Thames Water and saddled it with billions of pounds of debt. So reports that it is scrambling to find extra cash, after handing out millions of pounds to shareholders and bonuses to top bosses in recent years, are hardly surprising.

Even its shareholders won’t keep it afloat, having refused to pay £500m by the end of the month, saying regulatory requirements make its business plan “uninvestable”, and insisting that bills must go up – company boss Chris Weston told the BBC today that they need to rise by 40%.

It’s clear that the business model for Thames Water has failed and the company is unviable.

The company is privately owned by a mix of people and businesses. The consortium of pension funds and sovereign wealth funds owns the entire business. The largest shareholder, as of July 2023, is the Canadian pension fund Ontario Municipal Employees Retirement System (Omers) with approximately 32%.

Mr Weston also stated that it was “business as usual” at the company. The business appears to be lurching from one crisis to another, leaving staff with an uncertain future and customers facing ever more massive bills.

In the 21st century, the issue of water pollution is a national disgrace. The government and regulator have failed to stop water companies to pollute our rivers, canals and coastline.

Saturday’s Boat Race organisers have issued new safety guidance for the races, warning rowers not to enter the water and to cover any open wounds, after high levels of E.coli bacteria were found on the River Thames course.

Provision of water should never have been privatised, allowing millions to be taken out of the industry to line the pockets of shareholders and company executives, while infrastructure was allowed to crumble.

The government must intervene and take control of a business and renationalise Thames Water and now.

The article Opinion: Thames Water makes case for renationalisation … now! first appeared on the UNISON National site.

The business model for Thames Water has failed

Commenting on reports that Thames Water is scrambling to find extra cash as it handed out millions of pounds to shareholders and bonuses to top bosses in recent years, UNISON head of environment Donna Rowe-Merriman said: “It’s clear the business model for Thames Water has failed and the company is unviable.

“Even Thames Water’s own shareholders refuse to keep it afloat.

“Yet again, staff are facing an uncertain future with jobs at risk and no hope of much-needed investment. Customers will have to contend with poor water quality and rising bills.

“This utter chaos is further evidence the government needs to renationalise Thames Water now.”

Notes to editors:
– UNISON is the UK’s largest union with more than 1.3 million members providing public services in education, local government, the NHS, police service and energy. They are employed in the public, voluntary and private sectors.

Media contacts:
Fatima Ayad M: 07508 080383 E: f.ayad@unison.co.uk
Sophie Goodchild M: 07767 325595 E: s.goodchild@unison.co.uk

The article The business model for Thames Water has failed first appeared on the UNISON National site.

The business model for Thames Water has failed

Commenting on reports that Thames Water is scrambling to find extra cash as it handed out millions of pounds to shareholders and bonuses to top bosses in recent years, UNISON head of environment Donna Rowe-Merriman said: “It’s clear the business model for Thames Water has failed and the company is unviable.

“Even Thames Water’s own shareholders refuse to keep it afloat.

“Yet again, staff are facing an uncertain future with jobs at risk and no hope of much-needed investment. Customers will have to contend with poor water quality and rising bills.

“This utter chaos is further evidence the government needs to renationalise Thames Water now.”

Notes to editors:
– UNISON is the UK’s largest union with more than 1.3 million members providing public services in education, local government, the NHS, police service and energy. They are employed in the public, voluntary and private sectors.

Media contacts:
Fatima Ayad M: 07508 080383 E: f.ayad@unison.co.uk
Sophie Goodchild M: 07767 325595 E: s.goodchild@unison.co.uk

The article The business model for Thames Water has failed first appeared on the UNISON National site.

Law change on flexible working does not go far enough, says UNISON

Commenting on a survey by conciliation service ACAS published today (Thursday) that shows most workers are unaware of a change in the law making it easier to request flexible working, UNISON head of equality Josie Irwin said:

“This law change is a welcome move but doesn’t go far enough. Giving everyone the right to work flexibly from day one in a job would be beneficial for staff and employers alike. It would also help bring workplaces into the 21st century. Bosses have nothing to lose and everything to gain.

“It is possible to do most jobs flexibly with a bit of imagination. The evidence is that giving staff the opportunity to balance work with other commitments not only improves morale, but can also help employers fill hard-to-recruit jobs. And with fewer vacancies, services provided to the public are likely to improve.”

Notes to editors:
– UNISON is the UK’s largest union with more than 1.3 million members providing public services in education, local government, the NHS, police service and energy. They are employed in the public, voluntary and private sectors.

Media contacts:
Sophie Goodchild M: 07767 325595 E: s.goodchild@unison.co.uk

Fatima Ayad M: 07508 080383 E: f.ayad@unison.co.uk

The article Law change on flexible working does not go far enough, says UNISON first appeared on the UNISON National site.

Law change on flexible working does not go far enough, says UNISON

Commenting on a survey by conciliation service ACAS published today (Thursday) that shows most workers are unaware of a change in the law making it easier to request flexible working, UNISON head of equality Josie Irwin said:

“This law change is a welcome move but doesn’t go far enough. Giving everyone the right to work flexibly from day one in a job would be beneficial for staff and employers alike. It would also help bring workplaces into the 21st century. Bosses have nothing to lose and everything to gain.

“It is possible to do most jobs flexibly with a bit of imagination. The evidence is that giving staff the opportunity to balance work with other commitments not only improves morale, but can also help employers fill hard-to-recruit jobs. And with fewer vacancies, services provided to the public are likely to improve.”

Notes to editors:
– UNISON is the UK’s largest union with more than 1.3 million members providing public services in education, local government, the NHS, police service and energy. They are employed in the public, voluntary and private sectors.

Media contacts:
Sophie Goodchild M: 07767 325595 E: s.goodchild@unison.co.uk

Fatima Ayad M: 07508 080383 E: f.ayad@unison.co.uk

The article Law change on flexible working does not go far enough, says UNISON first appeared on the UNISON National site.

Water companies must be regulated better and policed to improve public health

Commenting on the Environment Agency report today (Wednesday) that record levels of raw sewage were pumped out into rivers and the sea last year, UNISON head of environment Donna Rowe-Merriman said:

“These sewage spillages are a major health risk and are causing untold damage to wildlife and the environment.

“Water companies are dumping waste at whim and sticking two fingers up to every public health law that’s ever existed. Their selfish actions risk turning the clock back to Victorian times.

“Both the government and OFWAT have failed to ensure adequate investment. Ministers sat back while water company executives and shareholders cashed in. But the industry should have been using the money to improve aging infrastructure and replace out-of-date systems.

“A proper water strategy is needed urgently to prevent spills and improve water quality dramatically. That means tougher regulation and more staff to police the country’s waterways.”

Notes to editors:
– UNISON is the UK’s largest union with more than 1.3 million members providing public services in education, local government, the NHS, police service and energy. They are employed in the public, voluntary and private sectors.

Media contacts:
Fatima Ayad M: 07508 080383 E: f.ayad@unison.co.uk
Sophie Goodchild M: 07767 325595 E: s.goodchild@unison.co.uk

The article Water companies must be regulated better and policed to improve public health first appeared on the UNISON National site.

Water companies must be regulated better and policed to improve public health

Commenting on the Environment Agency report today (Wednesday) that record levels of raw sewage were pumped out into rivers and the sea last year, UNISON head of environment Donna Rowe-Merriman said:

“These sewage spillages are a major health risk and are causing untold damage to wildlife and the environment.

“Water companies are dumping waste at whim and sticking two fingers up to every public health law that’s ever existed. Their selfish actions risk turning the clock back to Victorian times.

“Both the government and OFWAT have failed to ensure adequate investment. Ministers sat back while water company executives and shareholders cashed in. But the industry should have been using the money to improve aging infrastructure and replace out-of-date systems.

“A proper water strategy is needed urgently to prevent spills and improve water quality dramatically. That means tougher regulation and more staff to police the country’s waterways.”

Notes to editors:
– UNISON is the UK’s largest union with more than 1.3 million members providing public services in education, local government, the NHS, police service and energy. They are employed in the public, voluntary and private sectors.

Media contacts:
Fatima Ayad M: 07508 080383 E: f.ayad@unison.co.uk
Sophie Goodchild M: 07767 325595 E: s.goodchild@unison.co.uk

The article Water companies must be regulated better and policed to improve public health first appeared on the UNISON National site.

Government’s approach to care visas allows dodgy employers to exploit migrant staff

Commenting on the publication of a report from David Neal, the previous inspector of borders and immigration, on the social licensing scheme for care worker visas, UNISON head of social care Gavin Edwards said:

“The government doesn’t understand social care. If ministers had even a basic grasp of the sector, they would have reformed it long ago. But instead, the inept approach to the awarding of care visas has given dodgy employers total freedom to exploit overseas staff at whim.

“Thankfully, many migrant care workers are becoming wise to poor treatment by some of the more unpleasant operators in the sector.

“Things have got so bad that many migrant workers may head for other parts of the world where their skills will be welcomed with open arms. The government has failed everyone in care – the good employers, the staff and all those in need of support.”

Notes to editors:  
– UNISON is the UK’s largest union with more than 1.3 million members providing public services in education, local government, the NHS, police service and energy. They are employed in the public, voluntary and private sectors.

Media contacts:
Liz Chinchen M: 07778 158175 E: press@unison.co.ukSophie Goodchild M: 07767 325595 E: s.goodchild@unison.co.uk

The article Government’s approach to care visas allows dodgy employers to exploit migrant staff first appeared on the UNISON National site.

Government’s approach to care visas allows dodgy employers to exploit migrant staff

Commenting on the publication of a report from David Neal, the previous inspector of borders and immigration, on the social licensing scheme for care worker visas, UNISON head of social care Gavin Edwards said:

“The government doesn’t understand social care. If ministers had even a basic grasp of the sector, they would have reformed it long ago. But instead, the inept approach to the awarding of care visas has given dodgy employers total freedom to exploit overseas staff at whim.

“Thankfully, many migrant care workers are becoming wise to poor treatment by some of the more unpleasant operators in the sector.

“Things have got so bad that many migrant workers may head for other parts of the world where their skills will be welcomed with open arms. The government has failed everyone in care – the good employers, the staff and all those in need of support.”

Notes to editors:  
– UNISON is the UK’s largest union with more than 1.3 million members providing public services in education, local government, the NHS, police service and energy. They are employed in the public, voluntary and private sectors.

Media contacts:
Liz Chinchen M: 07778 158175 E: press@unison.co.ukSophie Goodchild M: 07767 325595 E: s.goodchild@unison.co.uk

The article Government’s approach to care visas allows dodgy employers to exploit migrant staff first appeared on the UNISON National site.