'Overworked and underpaid' Royal Fleet Auxiliary sailors strike talks ongoing amid 'recruitment crisis'
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Intense discussions to resolve industrial within the Royal Fleet Auxiliary are ongoing amid a “recruitment and retention crisis”.
Minister for veterans and people Louise Sandher-Jones told the House of Commons yesterday (March 16) that work is taking place to give civilian seafarers an improved pay offer. Planned strikes this month by members of the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT) and Nautilus International were postponed.
Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) officers and sailors were due to walk out over pay and conditions, amid accusations of personnel not being paid the minimum wage. An RMT spokesperson previously said discussions will be held at the end of the month, but the “dispute is far from over” and strike action couldn’t be ruled out.
Addressing the situation in parliament, Ms Sandher-Jones said: “The Royal Fleet Auxiliary makes a unique contribution to defence, and we thank the maritime trade unions for their commitment to resolving the current pay dispute, so the RFA’s contribution can be recognised. The Ministry of Defence (MoD) is implementing a workforce recovery programme for the RFA. This will improve the wider employee offer for those serving, so it can continue to perform its vital role.”
The Labour politician said of February 20, 2025, applications for RFA officers were up 30 per cent, with ratings applications increasing by 26 per cent. She added that outflow is down to 10.3 per cent, from a high of 13.4 per cent in January 2023.
Kim Johnson, Labour MP for Liverpool Riverside, said there was still a long way to go improve conditions within the force despite the uptick. “MoD figures show RFA seafarer numbers are still 12 per cent lower than in 2019,” he added. “Improving pay and conditions for RFA civilian seafarers is not just the right thing to do, it’s essential in resolving the recruitment and retention crisis caused by the previous government’s hostility towards public sector workers.
“Will the minister commit to revisiting discussions with the treasury if the current pay offer is rejected by RAF officers and ratings, particularly if they are drawn into the conflict in the Middle East?” Ms Sandher-Jones said close and productive conversations are ongoing with the maritime trade unions, but it would not be appropriate to comment on the discussions.
RFA seafarers play a critical role in supporting Royal Navy deployments and extending their reach. RFA Lyme Bay recently left Gibraltar amid expectations she will join HMS Dragon in the eastern Mediterranean. No official decisions have been made so far. A pay offer was accepted at the beginning of 2025, but the unions have maintained that any raises in salary, or projected reforms, have failed to materialised. Some female personnel are also pushing to change the RFA’s maternity policies after some women took the decision to “have an abortion” in order to keep their careers.
Grahame Morris, Labour MP for Easington, said “overworked and underpaid” seafarers had to wait seven months before receiving a pay offer. “What reassurances can the minister provide to the seafarers we rely on?”
Ms Sandher-Jones said: “This Labour government and myself recognises the extraordinary contribution of our seafarers. We’re working very hard for these highly-skilled personnel.”