More Environment Agency workers to take industrial action in pay row

More Environment Agency workers will take industrial action in a row over pay, it has been announced.

Members of the Prospect union will begin working to rule on Monday, joining similar action by Unison.

Prospect said the action will see its members only working contracted hours, taking all scheduled breaks according to length of working day and having appropriate compensatory rest between work.

In addition, members will also take action short of a strike from 6-10pm on December 19, 21 and 23.

Prospect general secretary Mike Clancy said: “Our members do not want to take industrial action but they have been forced into it by the current cost-of-living crisis, which has pushed them over the edge after more than a decade of decreasing real-terms pay.

“The gap between wage growth and price growth is never more noticeable than it is at this time of year.

“The Environment Agency is already struggling due to resourcing issues and experienced staff leaving.

“If something isn’t done about pay, the agency simply will not be able to function and it is all of us who will pay the price of collapsing environmental standards.”

Unison members will also be working to rule from Monday on different days up to and over Christmas in a dispute over pay.

This means they will only work their contracted hours, take all scheduled breaks and rest in full between shifts, and refuse any unpaid work at this busy time of year for the Agency.

An Environment Agency spokesman said: “We have plans in place to minimise any disruption to our essential work to protect the environment and respond to incidents.

“As a public sector organisation, the Environment Agency remains bound by the pay policy of the government of the day.”