Property and business interruption

6.3, Coastguard stoppage

UK: the UK was dependent on contingency plans for coastguard cover as workers at the Maritime and Coastguard Agency launched a 24-hour stoppage in pursuit of a pay claim. The Prospect and Public and Commercial Services unions mounted a joint picket outside MCA headquarters in Southampton in a bid to convince non-striking colleagues not to go into work. The MCA management sought to reassure the shipping industry that it had arrangements in place to deal with any maritime emergencies, but persistently refused to go into details of what this will comprise. British officers’ union Nautilus UK expressed support for the industrial action, and urged its members serving with the MCA to abide by standing policy and not carry out any duty that is normally carried out by members of a striking union. It also advised all members not to take any action that would exacerbate the situation, so making resolution of the dispute more difficult. The union wants coast-guards to get another £3,000 on top of their current base pay of £14,000 a year. The PCS union said members had been left with no options other than to strike. He said pay rates for watch assistance were “a disgrace”.