'Demoralised' RFA seafarers to stage 48-hour strikes as Royal Navy support force stumbles into 'crisis'

Members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) will walk out from 12.01am on March 5 until 11.59pm on March 6. The organisation said that during the strike, its members will ensure that the safety of ships are maintained, including moorings and gangways.

The action follows a ballot result in which members voted by nine to one to reject the latest pay offer and back industrial action. RMT general secretary Eddie Dempsey said: “RFA members want a decent pay offer and for the employer to show it is complying with all minimum wage legislation.

“Our members, who are the most highly trained seafarers, perform incredibly difficult tasks in often dangerous circumstances, supporting their colleagues in the Royal Navy, whilst spending months at a time away from their families. Years of real terms pay cuts have left dedicated RFA seafarers worse off, demoralised, and this latest offer falls well short of expectations and significantly below comparable employers within the sector.

“The Royal Fleet Auxiliary and the Ministry of Defence must now get around the table with us to address our members’ immediate concerns and tackle the crewing crisis. This dispute can be resolved, but only if there is a commitment from those with decision-making powers to take these matters seriously.”

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Members of the Nautilus International union, which largely represents RFA officers, have also voted to walked out for better pay and conditions. The organisation has yet to confirm exact dates for when its strikes will take place. Its ballot achieved a 56 per cent turnout, with 88 per cent voting in favour for industrial action.

Director of organising Martyn Gray previously said: “This was a huge ballot and a big success for RFA members. We balloted significantly more officers than ever before, and more people returned their ballot papers than in the last dispute. That level of engagement speaks volumes about the strength of feeling over pay and conditions across the RFA.”

RFA seafarers rejected a 4.5 per cent pay increase in January, which was described as being “wholly inadequate” which was described as being “wholly inadequate” while failing to address real terms pay erosion, recruitment and retention pressures, and other factors impacting staff. This includes restrictive maternity policies, which many female staff regard as being discriminatory and forcing them to choose between their family and career.