[UK] Environment agency workers will walk out for four further days

On April 5, UNISON announced that thousands of Environment Agency workers in England will strike for four days over pay later this month. It blamed government inaction for putting communities, waters and wildlife at risk, UNISON reports.

According to UNISON, despite months of strikes and other action where workers have taken themselves off ‘on call’ incident response rotas, ministers have made no attempt to invite unions in for pay talks.

The union’s latest action will reportedly mean that staff working on coastal sea defences, protecting communities from floods, tackling water pollution, waste fires and fly-tipping will strike from 7pm on Friday 14 April. They will remain out over that weekend until 7am on Monday 17 April.

Endemic low pay and uncompetitive wage rates have reportedly led to the Environment Agency struggling to retain experienced staff and recruit new employees.

The increasing staffing emergency means the Agency’s incident response and enforcement teams are already too thinly stretched to keep England’s waterways sewage-free and communities safe from harm, UNISON warned.

The longer the government persists with its ‘do nothing’ approach to staffing problems at the Agency, the worse the situation will become, the union added.

Several recent environmental incidents, such as a huge fire at a textile factory in Mansfield and the Poole Harbour oil spill have demonstrated how valuable Agency workers are in dealing with serious pollution events.

Yet the government’s refusal to allow the Environment Agency to improve the pay increase of 2 per cent plus £345 given to staff in the autumn means workers have no alternative but to reluctantly strike again, UNISON said.

Where there is a threat to life or property from major incidents such as flooding, it has been agreed that Agency officers will step in as emergency ‘life and limb cover’ during the dispute.

Donna Rowe-Merriman - UNISON head of environment - said, “Every community in England needs these experienced employees to help keep their local environment safe.

“All talk and very little action best describe the government’s approach to environmental policy. Announcements come and go, but nothing much happens to clean up England’s seas, rivers, lakes, and canals.

“This must change. The government needs a properly staffed Environment Agency if natural habitats and water sources are to be protected. But with too few experts on its books, the Agency can’t possibly punish the polluters and keep everyone safe.

“Therese Coffey should stop ignoring the plight of these invaluable workers and start tackling the growing staffing problems at the Environment Agency.

“Hourly rates are so low, some staff had to be given an emergency pay rise at the start of the week or their employer would have been in breach of minimum wage laws.

“It’s time the government called in the employer and the unions to settle this damaging dispute once and for all.”

Source: UNISON

(Quotes via original reporting)

On April 5, UNISON announced that thousands of Environment Agency workers in England will strike for four days over pay later this month. It blamed government inaction for putting communities, waters and wildlife at risk, UNISON reports.

According to UNISON, despite months of strikes and other action where workers have taken themselves off ‘on call’ incident response rotas, ministers have made no attempt to invite unions in for pay talks.

The union’s latest action will reportedly mean that staff working on coastal sea defences, protecting communities from floods, tackling water pollution, waste fires and fly-tipping will strike from 7pm on Friday 14 April. They will remain out over that weekend until 7am on Monday 17 April.

Endemic low pay and uncompetitive wage rates have reportedly led to the Environment Agency struggling to retain experienced staff and recruit new employees.

The increasing staffing emergency means the Agency’s incident response and enforcement teams are already too thinly stretched to keep England’s waterways sewage-free and communities safe from harm, UNISON warned.

The longer the government persists with its ‘do nothing’ approach to staffing problems at the Agency, the worse the situation will become, the union added.

Several recent environmental incidents, such as a huge fire at a textile factory in Mansfield and the Poole Harbour oil spill have demonstrated how valuable Agency workers are in dealing with serious pollution events.

Yet the government’s refusal to allow the Environment Agency to improve the pay increase of 2 per cent plus £345 given to staff in the autumn means workers have no alternative but to reluctantly strike again, UNISON said.

Where there is a threat to life or property from major incidents such as flooding, it has been agreed that Agency officers will step in as emergency ‘life and limb cover’ during the dispute.

Donna Rowe-Merriman - UNISON head of environment - said, “Every community in England needs these experienced employees to help keep their local environment safe.

“All talk and very little action best describe the government’s approach to environmental policy. Announcements come and go, but nothing much happens to clean up England’s seas, rivers, lakes, and canals.

“This must change. The government needs a properly staffed Environment Agency if natural habitats and water sources are to be protected. But with too few experts on its books, the Agency can’t possibly punish the polluters and keep everyone safe.

“Therese Coffey should stop ignoring the plight of these invaluable workers and start tackling the growing staffing problems at the Environment Agency.

“Hourly rates are so low, some staff had to be given an emergency pay rise at the start of the week or their employer would have been in breach of minimum wage laws.

“It’s time the government called in the employer and the unions to settle this damaging dispute once and for all.”

Source: UNISON

(Quotes via original reporting)