UNISON’s Environment Agency (EA) sector committee has recommended that members reject the latest pay offer from the agency, saying the offer is “simply not enough” to address the cost of living crisis.
Pay negotiations for 2022/23 with the EA concluded last week when a full and final offer was made that equated to an average increase of 2% plus £345 consolidated increase and some modest increases to allowances.
However, the offer falls far short of the claim the EA unions jointly submitted in March and, on top of that, most agency members got a 0% rise, last year, after a decade of below inflation pay rises.
A recent survey of EA members highlighted that staff have seen living standards drop – with the hardest hit having to make decisions between eating and paying the household bills.
Many more are finding salary levels are insufficient and are choosing to leave the agency, leaving thousands of posts vacant.
UNISON national officer Donna Rowe-Merriman said: “Wages have failed to keep up with inflation for years and agency staff have lost out as a result.
“The offer falls behind those offered to other public sector workers for the second year in a row. This government has failed to recognise the contribution of agency staff protecting the environment and communities and is unwilling to properly reward them.
“Enough is enough. We are at a point where members can’t cope on what they are being paid. It is time for the Environment Agency and the government to realise that staff need to be paid enough to be able to live without hardship and poverty.”
Chair of UNISON’s EA sector committee Jackie Hamer commented: “The rise in energy and fuel prices has led to members struggling to afford to travel to work, and trying to manage without heat, light and fuel in their homes. Many are wondering how on earth they can pay their bills.
“In addition, the large number of vacancies is putting many members under pressure when they are at work so this is a perfect storm of difficulties. They deserve much better.”
UNISON members will be consulted in August with the ballot running from 1 August to 2 September 2022.
