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Canals 'may close' after job cuts Canals 'may close' after job cuts
(about 2 hours later)
Some of Britain's waterways may be forced to close after the organisation which runs the network announces 180 job losses. Some of Britain's waterways may close after the organisation which runs the network announces 180 job losses.
British Waterways says the Department of Environment Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has slashed its budget by 15%.British Waterways says the Department of Environment Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has slashed its budget by 15%.
It says it is suffering because of Defra's expensive mismanagement of farm subsidies, according to BBC rural affairs Correspondent Tom Heap.It says it is suffering because of Defra's expensive mismanagement of farm subsidies, according to BBC rural affairs Correspondent Tom Heap.
Defra confirms it overspent by £200m, partly because of bird flu fears. Defra said its £200m overspend was partly due to bird flu fears. Union Unison said it would fight the cuts.
Cuts criticised 'Knee-jerk reaction'
Other bodies such as the Environment Agency and Natural England are also expected to have their budgets squeezed, our correspondent said. A spokesman for the union, which represents many of the agency's workers, said: "We will fight these job cuts with every means at our disposal and we have arranged an emergency meeting of stewards to draw up plans."
Union Unison, which represents many of the agency's workers, criticised the threatened job cuts. Other bodies, such as the Environment Agency and Natural England, are also expected to have their budgets squeezed, our correspondent said.
"Unison believes it's an absolute disgrace that 180 hard-working loyal members of staff at British Waterways face the prospect of losing their job due to incompetence at Defra," a spokesman told the BBC."Unison believes it's an absolute disgrace that 180 hard-working loyal members of staff at British Waterways face the prospect of losing their job due to incompetence at Defra," a spokesman told the BBC.
"Job cuts should be a last and not the first resort," he said."Job cuts should be a last and not the first resort," he said.
The government says any decision on job cuts is down to British Waterways' board and job cuts would only amount to a small proportion of the agency's workforce. The government says any decision on job cuts is down to the British Waterways board and job cuts would only amount to a small proportion of the agency's workforce.
The union, which has called for talks to consider alternative options before staff are made redundant, claimed it had been given "an assurance" in the summer that there would be no "knee-jerk reaction" to funding cuts.