Water workers vote for a strike

Hundreds of workers at Anglian Water have voted for strike action in a row over pay.

General workers union GMB said members faced losing up to £2,500 a year due to shift and working-time changes.

The union warned if a strike was held it would impact on the supply of clean water and clearing of sewage.

A spokesman for Anglian Water said customers would not be affected and workers were not facing a salary cut, but a change in some overtime shifts.

The proposals to change shifts would hit the maintenance unit which visits sites and investigates leaks and problems reported by customers.

Timing considered

The union said on its website: "This official strike ballot followed an earlier consultative ballot which produced a vote of 90% for industrial action."

A meeting to consider what form the industrial action would take and its timing is being organised by the union.

Staff from the maintenance unit covers operations in Buckinghamshire, Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Essex, Hertfordshire, Lincolnshire, Northamptonshire, Norfolk and Suffolk.

Anglian Water wants people working overtime shifts to work 10am to 6pm every fifth week instead of their usual 8am to 4pm pattern.

Andrew Mackintosh, head of group communications for Anglian Water, said the change was designed to be more convenient for customers as problems are reported later in the day.

He said: "No-one will have their salary cut. It's a change in overtime. The strike will have no impact at all on customers. They will see no change in service."