Coastguard staff in third walkout

The union is to vote on further strikes this summer

Coastguard staff on the south coast are staging their third walkout over pay levels.

Union members at the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) began a 24-hour protest at 1900 BST on Wednesday.

The Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS) said members at the Portland and Lee-on-the-Solent stations have been manning picket lines.

The MCA said contingency plans have been put in place to ensure public safety is not compromised.

The action, which also includes staff at the MCA headquarters in Southampton, did not involve crews of coastguard vessels.

'Shoestring wages'

The PCS union wants coastguards to get another £3,000 on top of their current base pay of £14,000 a year.

Brian Taylor, PCS representative at Lee-on-the-Solent, said: "We have been extremely well supported so far, lots of people are driving past and showing support.

"Our members still have great resolve. We are ready for a long fight if it comes to it."

The union's pay co-ordinator Geoff Lewtas told the BBC: "It is a scandal, quite frankly, that an organisation that's got such great importance as the fourth emergency service, is running its operation with its permanent staff paid on shoestring wages."

A spokeswoman for the MCA said: "We have contingency plans in place and there are still helicopters and lifeboats operating.

"We are still well equipped to save lives if we are needed."