Royal Fleet Auxiliary officers call off planned strikes in 'step forward' for Royal Navy operations - why
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The long-running dispute over pay and conditions has lasted months
Planned strike action by officers in the Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) have been called off.
The Nautilus International union has announced that industrial action, due to take place over a 24-hour period between June 9 and 10, has been postponed. This is the latest development in a long-running squabble between the unions and the Ministry of Defence (MoD), which has seen various pay offers rejected.
Discussions have now resumed after a fresh set of terms were presented. General secretary Sascha Meijer said: “This revised offer shows a more constructive engagement with the issues our members have been raising. There is a genuine opportunity now to build momentum and progress towards a resolution that works for all parties.”
The union added that the revised offer represented “a step forward” and reflected “a more thorough assessment of the issues raised by ships officers throughout this process”. They added that it set a “stronger and more encouraging foundation for continued engagement”.
This will come as positive news for the Royal Navy. RFA seafarers are currently preparing to support military operations in the Middle East. RFA Lyme Bay, bristling with autonomous mine-hunting kit, is currently proceeding to the Gulf ahead of a potential multinational operation to keep the Strait of Hormuz open. Portsmouth-based Type 45 destroyer HMS Dragon is currently training alongside the huge French aircraft carrier FS Charles de Gaulle.
RFA seafarers provide a vital role in support of the Royal Navy on various operations. The civilian sailors are tasked with extending the reach of warships and keeping them at sea for longer, with other duties such as providing humanitarian disaster support and conducting security patrols monitoring Russian vessels.
Nautilus International union members previously agreed to take action short of a strike, as pay talks stalled with the MoD. Members of the RMT union have gone on strike on multiple occasions this year, which included seafarers aboard RFA Lyme Bay.
Past strikes by both unions have centred around real-terms pay cuts, staff shortages, seafarers filling in roles above their rank, and workers being “harassed into returning to work early” while on annual leave. This week, the government agreed a 3.6 per cent pay rise for the armed forces, amounting to a 14 per cent increase since July 2024.
Nautilus’ director of organising, Martyn Gray, said: “Our members have remained clear, united and patient throughout this process, and it is encouraging to see that their concerns are now being taken under more meaningful consideration. We are approaching the next stage of discussions in good faith and with a shared commitment to finding a lasting resolution.”