Coastguard warning after walkout

MCA staff held their first ever strike over pay in February

Coastguards in Norfolk, Suffolk and Essex who have joined a national strike over pay have warned the public they are dealing only with emergency calls.

Staff from the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) started a 48-hour walkout on Friday evening.

The union wants another £3,000 on top of £14,000 a year basic pay. The MCA said the government sets the pay rules.

Union leader Peter Wheeler said the MCA failed to respond to earlier strikes so they are stepping up action.

The 48-hour strike is due to finish on Sunday at 2000 BST, the Public and Commercial Services (PCS) Union said.

The MCA said it was bound by strict government rules on public sector pay.

Mr Wheeler said: "The Prime Minister Gordon Brown said last week a contingency plan would be put in place and that means staff from MCA headquarters providing emergency cover.

""With the best will in the world it will not be as good as if we were on duty.

"We've done three periods of 24-hour strikes over the past few months but they have not had much effect on management so the union decided to raise the game a little bit to try and bring the MCA to the negotiating table at least.

"They have signally refused to take notice of our requests. We just want to get them talking and the union has decided that this is the best way forward."