MoD: Royal Fleet Auxiliary pay talks continue to stall with lack of progress "frustrating" striking sailors

The Nautilus International union held a meeting with the Ministry of Defence (MoD) on Wednesday (October 9) to try and put an end to the situation, which has been going on for months. Despite the RFA and the Royal Navy being heavily impacted by the strikes, and pay offers being handed out to workers in other sectors, a resolution has yet to be made.

Martyn Gray, director of organising, told The News: “Nautilus continues to be frustrated with efforts from the Ministry of Defence and the Royal Fleet Auxiliary to resolve the ongoing industrial dispute. Our members continue to be overworked, underpaid and undervalued, they deserve a pay rise that reflects the real term pay cut of over 30 per cent since 2010 and that recognises the importance of their role to our nation’s national security. Nautilus remains open and available to all discussions, but we will continue to use every available avenue in pushing for a satisfactory resolution.”

Officers have previously held demonstrations in Portsmouth - highlighting various ongoing problems within the RFA. The Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) staged fresh industrial action between last Friday (October 4) and Tuesday (October 8). Industrial action was sparked by the MoD implementing a 4.5 per cent pay rise, despite wages lagging behind commercial shipping contracts.

Striking RFA personnel has caused ship refits to be delayed, with RFA Cardigan Bay spending weeks in port as sailors continue to work-to-rule. Officers have been continuing to strike, with long-standing problems in the force not being resolved. As previously reported in The News, RFA sailors have walked out over uncompetitive wages, but are also frustrated with staff shortages, a “recruitment and retention crisis” with people leaving the force in their droves, feeling like they are being overworked and other issues. Martyn Gray, director of organising at Nautilus International, previously said some of its members have been “harassed” into returning to work early due to staff shortages for deployments.

The RFA has a strong connection to the Royal Navy, with personnel going on deployments and exercises alongside each other. RFA vessels can be tasked with supplying navy ships with supplies, food, fuel, water, ammunition - allowing them to stay on forward deployment for longer. They have also been tasked to enter conflict zones in the past, with RFA sailors delivering humanitarian aid to Gaza.

Al Carns, Labour minister for veterans, recently addressed the talks while responding to a parliamentary written question by Jayne Kirkham, MP for Truro and Falmouth. Ms Kirkham, Labour, asked what’s being done to improve recruitment and retention within the RFA. Gosport MP Dame Caroline Dinenage, Conservative, also raised the issue through a parliamentary written question.

Mr Carns said: “The Ministry of Defence (MOD) continues to engage with the Maritime Trade Unions (MTUs), who represent members of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA), to discuss a resolution to the ongoing RFA pay dispute. The Royal Fleet Auxiliary are highly valued, specialist personnel. We are committed to listening to their concerns and keeping a continued dialogue to address the issues they have raised.

“The Ministry of Defence (MOD) continues to engage with the Maritime Trade Unions (MTUs), who represent members of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA), to discuss a resolution to the on-going RFA pay dispute. Recognising that the RFA is the largest employer of British non-military seafarers, the RFA intend to introduce a series of new recruitment and retention initiatives, including enhanced lateral entry routes from maritime industry, improved occupational health measures and a suite of options to increase working flexibility.”