Nautilus seeks member feedback after RFA pushes through 2022 Civil Service pay remit

Nautilus is consulting members working for the Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) following notification that it intends to push through the Civil Service pay remit, despite members rejecting the offer.

Commodore David Eagles notified the Union via a letter dated 20 October 2022, stating the intention to implement immediately the Civil Service pay remit in full, worth a total average of 3% to most staff, backdated to 1 July 2022.

A pay offer made on 9 September of 2.95% with an extra 0.05% to uplift specific allowances had been rejected by a clear majority of those RFA members who participated in a vote.

Feedback from RFA members during the negotiations set out their key concerns:

• Cost of living crisis
• Comparisons with armed forces/blue light public sector/inflation
• Recruitment and retention
• Increased workloads

Members also discussed improvements to work conditions such as travel and subsistence, and work/life balance including shorter trip lengths.

The letter from Commodore Eagles confirms an uplift to travel and subsistence allowances, and changes to policy to make it easier to access a hire car when joining and leaving a ship with a high volume of luggage.

Three-month appointments will be available for those that want it from spring 2023, alongside a "one ship-two crews" option that will roll out with the introduction into service of a new vessel next year.

Eligible staff will receive a non-consolidated RFA Shared Bonus Award as a separate non-consolidated payment which will be paid to staff in March 2023, should the RFA's corporate objectives being achieved.