Rates of Pay and Conditions of Service 2023 – Royal Fleet Auxiliary

Our Ref: SH/0001/RFA

11^th April 2024

 

Dear Colleagues 

 

Rates of Pay and Conditions of Service 2023 – Royal Fleet Auxiliary

 

Firstly, I would like to congratulate you for returning a magnificent result in the recent ballot. You have given your union a mandate to push forward in this dispute. This is a clear message from RMT members, and it is about time that Royal Fleet Auxiliary management and those in control of the purse strings recognise the severity of the situation and respect the role and sacrifice of Merchant Seafarers and the crucial role that they play on long deployments away from home on operations around the world.

 

In December, the RFA/MOD implemented a one-year below inflation pay deal of 4.5%, this remains totally unacceptable to this union and the ballot result shows that RFA members are in full agreement with their union. Members are fully cognisant that last year the RFA did 67% of Royal Navy tasking and the pay offer which the RFA imposed was inferior to the pay award that Royal Navy personnel received. 

 

I can report that RFA Officers have also voted for industrial action over this pay rise that has been implemented on RFA Seafarers. This should send a clear message to RFA and MOD that all is not well at RFA and the highly skilled and nationally important seafarers of all ranks are not happy with over a decade of pay freezes and below inflation pay rises which equates in ‘real terms’ 30% pay cut.

 

Your union will now consider our next steps and try and come to a negotiated settlement along with our sister union Nautilus UK who represent the RFA Officers. The RMT will explore all political, legal and industrial avenues to try and reach a settlement in this dispute.

 

The National Secretary, Assistant National Secretary, National Executive Committee and your RFA Representatives will be meeting next week. Following this meeting, the National Executive Committee will re-consider this matter next week and I will advise you of their decision in due course.    

 

Yours sincerely

 

Michael Lynch

General Secretary