River Thames weir and lock keepers consider strike

Hambleden, near Henley, is home to one of 45 non-tidal locks along the River Thames, as well as a weir

Weir and lock keepers along the River Thames have begun voting on strike action over safety concerns, a trade union has said.

The GMB said workers were currently deciding whether to take industrial action over what it called "budget-driven decisions" that were "putting people and property at risk".

There are currently 52 permanent staff working on the river, along with 10 currently unfilled temporary roles, but an Environment Agency (EA) assessment in 2008 found more than 100 staff were needed, the union said.

In a statement, the EA said it was "committed" to working with keepers and unions to "avoid industrial action".

The ballot for workers opened on Friday and will close on 23 May, the union said.

GMB national officer Kevin Brandstatter said weir and lock keepers along the Thames were currently "expected to keep people safe with half the numbers needed".

"There are only 52 staff doing the work of more than 90 - it's just not safe with planned time off, holiday commitments and sick absence," he said.

"All they want is to do their jobs safely and well and keep the public safe - and they may be ready to go on strike to achieve that."

The union wants better staffing along the river, including at Sandford Lock

In March, Mr Brandstatter raised concerns and warned of strike action in a letter to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra).

There are 45 non-tidal locks on the River Thames, including Osney and Iffley in Oxfordshire, Caversham and Shiplake in Berkshire and others in Buckinghamshire, Surrey and Greater London.

An EA spokesperson said lock and weir keepers were an "important aid in maintaining the non-tidal Thames and allowing the public to enjoy our waterways".

"Their safety, and the safety of river users, is a top priority," the spokesperson said.

"We are committed to continuing to work with them and unions to update our ways of working so we can deliver more for our customers and river users, and avoid industrial action, while ensuring the wellbeing of staff."

"To be clear, we have not proposed any cuts to jobs or services – and we will provide further detail on our approach to modernising navigation on the Thames in due course."