The union Nautilus International accused ministers of refusing to move on pay for Royal Fleet Auxilliary employees
The Government has come under fire from a union representing maritime officers over the issue of pay amid looming strike threats at the Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA).
Nautilus International has accused ministers of refusing to budge on RFA employee pay, despite these workers voting in favour of industrial action. In an unprecedented move last month, Nautilus members voted overwhelmingly for industrial action – a first in RFA history.
Martyn Gray, Nautilus International’s director of organising, said: “The Prime Minister has set out an ambitious target for increasing UK defence spending by the end of the decade, yet Nautilus members at the RFA were forced to vote overwhelmingly for industrial action after 14 years of a real terms pay cut that amounts to over 30%.”
He further emphasised the importance of the RFA to the UK’s naval capabilities, stating: “The RFA is critical to the UK’s naval capabilities and in a time of increasing global precarity, with the Prime Minister putting the defence industry on a “war footing”, the UK Government should prioritise dealing with the existing challenges including poor pay, low morale and a lack of recruitment and retention of skilled mariners in the RFA.”
Mr Gray added: “The fact our members at the RFA have voted for both strike action and action short for the first time in their history is a scathing indictment of the managed decline of this vital service. If the Prime Minister is serious about supporting the UK’s defence capabilities, he would commit to restoring RFA pay to pre-2010 levels and avoid industrial action.”
“The skilled mariners who support the defence of our nation deserve a decent pay rise now, not distant promises.” Members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union at the RFA have also voted for industrial action over pay.
