'Ripped-off' Royal Fleet Auxiliary sailors to strike in Portsmouth due to low wages and 'exploitation' threat
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Members of the RMT union rejected a previous offer and said it failed to address concerns that sailors were paid below the minimum wage
Angry Royal Fleet Auxiliary sailors will be going on strike in Portsmouth after feeling ‘ripped-off’ due to a bitter ongoing pay dispute.
Civilian seafarers, who consistently work alongside serving Royal Navy personnel, will be staging protests tomorrow (May 8) and on May 13. Members of the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT) union have been embroiled in talks with the Ministry of Defence (MoD) and Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) over better pay and conditions.
Previous walkouts and picket lines were held in April in Portland, Birkenhead, and Falmouth. Serving seafarers also staged action on active ships including RFA Lyme Bay. RMT national secretary Darren Procter said members will not be taking this action lightly and it’s the last resort to secure better pay and conditions.
“For years now, RFA seafarers can routinely be expected to work up to 12 hours a day and more when duties demand, often for months at sea, with no clear or transparent formula setting out how their pay is calculated against those hours,” he added. “There is a clear and credible risk that pay levels could be below the legal minimum once actual hours worked are taken into account, and this is a point that we have continuously made during negotiations with RFA and MOD.
“This concern is heightened by the potential for deductions, including for accommodation offset, which could further reduce pay for the purposes of minimum wage calculations. The responsibility for the formula for calculating wages lies squarely at the foot of the employer and they have a duty to demonstrate our members are not being ripped off for their dedicated service.
“This potential for serious exploitation and an unsatisfactory pay offer has combined to push RFA seafarers beyond their tolerance limits with hundreds prepared to wage a long dispute in order to achieve dignity and justice in the workplace.”
The safety of vessels will be maintained during the strikes, including the management of moorings and gangways. RFA seafarers work alongside the Royal Navy to extend the reach of warships and keep them at sea for longer. Provisions including with fuel, equipment, supplies, mechanical engineering expertise and other tools, make sure deployments are ran smoothly.
Recently, RFA Tideforce joined Portsmouth-based warships and naval helicopters in a “round-the-clock” tracking operation on Russian frigate RFN Admiral Grigorovich, while she escorted shadow fleet vessels through the English Channel and beyond. RFA Tidespring will be joining HMS Prince of Wales and HMS Duncan for upcoming exercises in the North Atlantic and High North.
Mr Procter said poor pay, questions about minimum wage compliance, and the need for more transparency from the RFA and MoD, are causing seafarers to the leave the service for better salaries and working conditions in commercial sectors such as deep sea, offshore and on ferries. A 4.5 per cent pay offer was rejected by the union earlier this year, which was described as being “wholly inadequate”.
“RFA seafarers are trained to some of the highest standards in the maritime industry, but employers in commercial shipping are offering significantly better pay, clearer contracts, more sustainable working patterns, and more favourable leave provisions,” he added.
“As with all disputes, the union has been hard at work negotiating and making progress in talks with RFA management who have acknowledged our concerns, and we are working to establish a solution that will be acceptable to our members. We will have to see what proposals they come back with but for now strike action will go ahead.
“This is not an easy decision for our members. They are very patriotic and have pride in the role that they provide to the Royal Navy and the country. But, following years of below average pay, and a lack of transparency over their actual wages, there is no other avenue left open to them to make their case that things need to change.”
RMT General Secretary Eddie Dempsey added: “The employer has a duty to demonstrate that our members are being paid fairly and lawfully for the work they do. Despite continued discussions, no acceptable offer has been made and unless serious proposals are brought forward, our members remain determined to continue their industrial campaign.”
The RMT union is not the only body staging industrial action. Members of Nautilus International, a union that represents RFA officers, are taking action short of a strike in their ongoing fight for better pay and conditions. They will be operating under “work-to-rule” and will only carry out tasks which are strictly under their contracts and assignments. This involves refusing additional duties, extended tours, and anything not written in their formal agreements.
When asked about the ongoing RFA disputes, an MoD spokesperson previously said: “Officers of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary are highly valued specialists who play a critical role in supporting Defence operations around the world. We remain committed to working constructively with the Maritime Trade Unions to reach a resolution that reflects the vital contribution of RFA personnel but will not provide further comment until these negotiations conclude."