RFA union RMT prepares for action over pay and conditions

RFA union RMT prepares for action over pay and conditions

7 March 2016

RMT Press Office:

RFA union RMT prepares for action over pay and conditions - including the crew on the Mount's Bay on Aegean migrant crisis duties.

RFA UNION RMT confirmed today that its preparing for industrial action involving hundreds of staff across the Royal Fleet Auxiliary over an attack on pay and working conditions.

Any campaign of action will involve all RFA members including those on the ship the Mount’s Bay which is currently being deployed to the Aegean Sea as part of the Government’s migrant and people smuggling operations.

The issues at the heart of the dispute are:
•    Imposition of a pay 1% increase despite RMT members rejecting the offer.

•    Imposing changes to staffing levels called, "tailored schemes of compliment" (Tsoc's), without agreement

•    Creating banding levels which sees the RFA giving certain officer grades such as captains bigger increases and taking cash out of the pockets of RMT members to pay for it.  

RMT General Secretary Mick Cash said:
“RFA staff have been deployed to sensitive and dangerous operations down the years, including todays developments on the migrant crisis in the Aegean, the recent Ebola outbreak in Sierra Leone and war zones like the Falklands and the Gulf. These are brave and hard-working men and women who deserve respect and recognition for the critical role that they fulfil. RMT stands behind our RFA members 100%.”

RMT National Secretary Steve Todd said:
“The attack on the pay and conditions of RFA staff is wholly unacceptable and the attempt to impose fundamental changes leaves RMT with no option but to prepare for action. The union is sick and tired of RFA staff being written out of the script by Government Ministers which is exactly what happened with the announcement on the operations off the Turkish coast this morning. It is a disgraceful way to treat this courageous and committed group of workers.

“The union remains available for meaningful talks.”

ends

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