Pay dispute strikes affecting key agricultural agencies spark concern for UK farmers

By Chris Wright, Partner and ARA specialist

Natural England and the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) have taken strike action following a dispute over pay, job losses, and redundancy terms.

The strikes, which are part of the largest industrial action Prospect the union has taken for more than a decade, are a step up from previous action that has been ongoing since March, including a ban on overtime and working to rule.

The Government had imposed a pay control of 4.5 per cent and has refused to enter talks to resolve the current pay dispute.

Prospect represents employees of APHA and Natural England, and its general secretary Mike Clancy claims that its members were being “singled out by a Government intent on leaving its own workers at the back of the pay queue.”

The strikes follow similar action taken earlier this year by 300 call-centre workers at the Rural Payment Agency (RPA), who held a strike over pay.

Have National England and APHA strikes affected you? Please contact us today for advice.