By Gordon Berry and Cheryl Wood

COASTGUARDS “STRONGLY” supported their first strike in a row over pay yesterday, amid warnings of increasing unrest in the civil service over wages.

Up to half the UK’s 19 rescue centres were closed because of the walkout, which saw hundreds of staff mount picket lines, the Public and Commercial Services (PCS) union said.

The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) drafted in managers to handle emergency and mayday calls as part of contingency plans to deal with the stoppage.

Coastguards at Fife Ness, who feel that they are part of the “forgotten emergency service,” took part in the strike action.

Pickets were at the station near Crail from early morning as they joined up to 100 Scottish members in a UK-wide one-day strike of 700 MCA workers.

Branch secretary Gordon Downard said that at Fife Ness, where there are 22 employees plus four sector managers around the district, there was a complete turnout for the strike.

They were locked out of the station by local management and a security guard was hired to occupy the building.

Mr Downard said, “The strike by the PCS members of the coastguard can only be described as a disaster for the MCA. The turnout of striking officers proved that the members are 100% behind this industrial action.

“Out of the coastguard stations around the UK, seven centres were totally closed by striking officers.

“Four stations were very dangerously manned and required additional trained staff.

“Three stations required additional staff to be effective.”

Mr Downard also pledged that staff at Fife Ness would support further action to improve wages to an “acceptable” level.

He said, “Through 154 years of providing search and rescue we have never had to take this drastic action and this shows the level of feeling.

“The members feel that they have been left with no other course of action, having been in discussion with the MCA for the past 18 months.”

The union has said that refusal to implement the findings of studies saying that pay should be the same as other emergency services had left staff feel betrayed and let down.

It has been claimed that some staff have starting salaries of £12,097 and have had pay cuts in real terms.

The SNP’s transport spokesman in Westminster, Angus MacNeil MP, backed the action.

He said the disparity between the pay of coastguard staff and that of other emergency service workers was unacceptable.

He said, “People will be taken aback that these dedicated staff, who are involved in co-ordinating some of the most dangerous rescues at sea, are not being remunerated properly and are being forced to strike in order to secure the pay increase they deserve.

“This is not a step these seriously dedicated workers take lightly.

“They have even offered the MCA help if required during their own strike, which is probably unprecedented.

“Those of us who live in coastal and island communities know the importance of this service and hold these people in high esteem…

“Our coastguard staff can be relied upon to do their duty; now it’s time for Gordon Brown’s government to do the same.”

Ahead of the strike, MCA chief executive Peter Cardy said he was disappointed that engagement with the trade unions had not prevented the action and that he wanted to continue negotiating a pay settlement.

The one-day stoppage hit emergency and 999 distress calls in addition to the operations of 19 UK rescue co-ordination centres which control search and rescue operations and task Lifeboats, helicopters and other rescue teams.

Services operating from the Clyde, Forth, Western and Northern Isles and north-east Scotland were affected.

An MCA spokesman said cover for the Forth had been provided by coastguard staff at Aberdeen.