Officers at the UK’s Royal Fleet Auxiliary, represented by trade union Nautilus International, have announced a second day of strikes, as a pay dispute remains unresolved.
The RFA action is set to take place on 3 September, which is also Merchant Navy Day, and will be the second time in the history of the service that officers have stopped working.
Nautilus director of organising Martyn Gray said: “After the first officer strike in the history of the service, it is disappointing that the Ministry of Defence has still not presented us with an offer.”
RFA members are civilian employees who operate the supply and logistics ships for the Royal Navy. Formed in 1905, the fleet consists of 13 vessels, including tankers and supply ships.
On 15 August, its officers held a strike for the first time, with Nautilus claiming that it had “far-reaching impacts on vessels in the Far East, Mediterranean and in UK Waters”.
“We understand that three vessels, two in the Far East and one in the Mediterranean, were in port as scheduled last Thursday [15 August], where our members carried out strike action in line with union protocols to protect the safety of the vessels,” Gray told TradeWinds.
Gray also added that it was fitting that the next day of strikes would coincide with Merchant Navy Day.
“[It is] a day where we remember the sacrifice of merchant seafarers during peacetime and wartime, as well as highlighting the vital importance of merchant seafarers in delivering global trade, maintaining resilient supply chains and supporting national security,” he said.
Officers have been undertaking a continuous period of action short of strikes since 1 June 2024, which is also having a significant impact on RFA capability, the union added.
The dispute has arisen as RFA employees have faced a real-term pay cut of over 30% since 2010, with a below-inflation pay offer of 4.5% for the 2023-24 fiscal year imposed in November.
Gray said: “Our members continued resolve to stand up for themselves and their colleagues is a testament to the strength of feeling. As we have consistently said, the RFA are overworked, underpaid and undervalued.
“We remain open for negotiations but our position is clear, our members need a pay rise reflecting the rate of inflation and a pathway to pay restoration to bring this dispute to an end.”
