COASTGUARD staff went on strike for 48 hours, but emergency responses were not affected.
Picket lines were set up at Thames Coastguard at Walton on Naze where services are co-ordinated for rescue operations for Southend and Canvey.
The row over pay saw members of the Public and Commercial Services union walk out from Friday to Sunday evening, their fourth strike this year.
They are seeking a better pay rise than the 2.5 per cent offered by the Government for watch assistants employed by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency.
The union says 700 members took part across the country.
Mark Serwotka, PCS general secretary, said: “The strong support for this week’s industrial action demonstrates the depth of anger over the Government’s policy of pay cuts and pay freezes.
“It is totally unacceptable that civil and public servants doing vital jobs, such as coastguard watch assistants, should earn just above minimum wage and be faced with pay cuts in real terms.”
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here