Environment Agency workers begin strike over pay

Thousands of Environment Agency workers will begin a three-day strike today (14 April) in a dispute over pay.

Disruptions are expected to affect services such as monitoring river pollution, flood prevention and issuing environmental permits.

The strike is scheduled from 7pm today until 7am on Monday 17 April.

See also: Sentencing expected for farmer who damaged River Lugg banks

Forms of industrial action have been ongoing since last autumn, and trade unions have rejected a 2% pay offer for Environment Agency employees.

Unison, one of the unions representing workers, has called on Defra secretary Therese Coffey to hold pay talks with unions and resolve the dispute.

It has also written to chancellor Jeremy Hunt urging that more money be allocated to the agency.

Unison general secretary Christina McAnea said: “There’s a strong danger that without government intervention, the damaging dispute over this woeful wage increase could drag on for months.”

Ms McAnea added that with environmental damage and rising pollution levels in the spotlight, and climate change intensifying the pressure on services, this was not a good time for the Environment Agency to be understaffed.