Latest editorial
An Environment Agency officer inspecting a scene in Cockermouth
Cabinet Office sets out plan for bringing services like cleaning and security back in-house
THOUSANDS of Environment Agency workers across England are set to take historic strike action on Wednesday in a significant escalation of their pay dispute.
The walkout, the first in the public body’s history, is due to take place between 8am and 5pm, public services union Unison confirmed yesterday.
The agency’s staff maintain important safety structures, including the Thames Barrier and coastal sea defences, and also protect communities from floods, water pollution, spills, waste fires and fly-tipping.
Behind the cute names of Scotland’s road gritters lies a workforce underpaid and overlooked – a fitting reflection of a Budget that protected profits, bungled its rollout and offered hardly a glimmer of hope, writes MATT KERR
ROGER McKENZIE calls for greater support from trade unionists and the general public for female workers involved in industrial disputes