FLOOD warning systems were left unmanned as Environment Agency staff downed tools in a walkout over pay and working conditions.
Workers at the government agency, who are members of trade unions Unison and Prospect, took part in strike action at Colne Barrier in Wivenhoe and Cattawade Barrier in Manningtree on Wednesday.
Banners were raised in defiance in Manningtree between 7.15am and 9.45am and 10am until 11am in Wivenhoe.
Christina McAnea, general secretary at Unison, said: “Ministers are simply ignoring this invisible workforce.
“The public might not see what they do, but day in day out, they work tirelessly behind the scenes keeping communities safe from the ravages of the weather.”
In the worker’s absence, flood warning systems were set to automatically trigger if they reached certain thresholds.
The government said automated flood warnings were safe and noted the risk of floods was currently low.
Last November, the government staff a 2 per cent pay rise but members of the trade unions decided to stage the protests following a real-terms pay cost of more than 20 per cent since 2010.
Unison said a recent survey found more than a quarter of Environment Agency staff were considering leaving in the coming year.
Agency workers have highlighted that staff shortages were increasing pressure on existing employees.
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This strike follows a 12-hour period of action short of strike when staff withdrew from emergency incident rotas, this will be followed by another 12-hour period.
Ms McAnea added: “Despite homes and communities being regularly battered by the weather at this time of year, and with pollution spills on the rise, the government hasn’t grasped what’s at stake.
“Decent pay is a key factor in protecting the environment and keeping everyone safe. But those services can’t be provided if there’s no one to run them.”
A spokesman for the Environment Agency said: “As a public sector organisation the Environment Agency remains bound by the pay policy of the government of the day.
“We have plans in place to minimise disruption to our essential work to protect the environment and respond to critical incidents.”
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