Coastguards take strike action over pay

The rescue co-ordinating call centre at Leigh on Solent, which covers the shores and seas from Beachy Head to Christchurch, including East Preston, Rustington and Littlehampton, will close for 24 hours, from 7am.

The Maritime and Coastguard Agency, MCA, said that local, volunteer, rescue teams will still be in operation, but that services would be limited.

Brian Taylor, Public and Commercial Services Union representative at the centre, said: "This is about getting our pay aligned to other emergency services call centres.

"The concept of being out on strike is completely alien to us, we did not want to do this, but it is an indication of how frustrated we are."

A spokesman for the union said that staff were furious over pay levels in the MCA, where coastguard watch assistants, who actively participate in search planning and other duties in response to 999 calls, only earn the national minimum wage.

"The refusal to implement the findings of studies saying that coastguard's pay should be the same as other emergency services has left staff feeling betrayed."

The MCA said that the RNLI would still send out lifeboats, and helicopters would continue to fly.

"We would remind those going to sea for leisure purposes of the important routine safety advice they should follow everyday, and that contingency planning is in place to ensure public safety is protected."

Mr Taylor added: "We do not intend to put the public in any kind of danger, and if there was an emergency, we would respond to it."

The strike is planned to be repeated on April 24, to co-incide with other public workers' action, including teachers.