The Environment Agency has confirmed that its staff will no longer take part in four days of industrial action that had been planned to begin on Friday 3 November at 0700, following discussions with Unison1. The announcement came as the agency continued to monitor and respond to the impacts of Storm Ciarán across England, in an update published on 4 November1.
As of 2:30pm on Saturday 4 November, the agency reported 41 flood warnings, meaning flooding is expected, and 158 flood alerts, meaning flooding is possible, in place across England1. Minor river and surface water flooding was possible that day across the South and parts of the North East of England, with minor groundwater flooding impacts also possible in parts of Dorset and Wiltshire; river flooding may persist into Sunday1. Defences including at Bewdley on the River Severn had been deployed, and further assets were readied for deployment if needed, including temporary and demountable flood barriers and high-volume pumps1.
Approximately 13,000 properties were protected from the storm, and the total number of properties reported to have been flooded stood at around 2601. The agency also gave figures for Storm Babet: an estimated 97,000 properties protected, approximately 2,150 properties reported flooded, and more than 300,000 messages sent by its flood warning service by email, telephone and text1. Twenty high volume pumps and five small volume pumps were deployed across several sites during that storm1. The Government announced that support would be available to areas in England that had experienced exceptional localised flooding through activation of the Flood Recovery Framework scheme1.
"Following discussions with Unison, EA staff will no longer take part in the four days of industrial action initially planned to begin on Friday 3 November at 0700."
Why it matters for households
The cancellation means the agency's flood warning and asset operations were not affected by the planned strike during Storm Ciarán, at a time when warnings and alerts remained in place across England1. Chris Wilding, flood duty manager at the Environment Agency, said rain from Storm Ciarán meant water levels in rivers across parts of England remained high, and that further significant surface water and river flooding impacts were possible but not expected in parts of the South East of England on 4 November due to heavy showers1. The agency urged people to stay safe on the coast and take extreme care on coastal paths and promenades, and said people must avoid driving through flood water, as just 30cm of flowing water is enough to move a car1. It advised people to check their flood risk, sign up for free flood warnings and keep up to date with the latest situation through its flood checking service and by following @EnvAgency on X1. It also advised the public to sign up to flood warnings and check the latest safety advice, as tidal flooding was possible and heavy downpours were likely to fall on saturated ground1. Households can read more in our storms and snow hub.
What happens next
The agency said river flooding may persist into Sunday in places, and that its teams remained out on the ground operating assets, working with partners and present in communities that had experienced flooding1. No further dates for industrial action have been reported.
