Nautilus International members at the Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) have voted strongly in favour of industrial action.
The ballot followed the rejection by members of a 4.5% pay offer for 2023 that fell far below the rate of inflation. Since 2010, RFA employees have faced real terms pay cut of over 30%, beyond other blue light services, leading to significant challenges in recruitment and retention and low morale across the workforce.
The results of the ballot are as follows:
- 79% voted yes to strike action
- 85% voted yes to action short of a strike
- 60% turnout
Nautilus director of organising Martyn Gray said: ‘The result of this ballot is a clear indication of the strength of frustration amongst our members at the RFA, who feel overworked, underpaid, and undervalued.
‘The RFA is vital to the UK’s naval capabilities. In a time of significant geo-political instability, we do not wish to see disruption to the RFA’s operations.
‘We hope this ballot result will focus minds and we look forward to engaging further with the RFA and the Ministry of Defence as a matter of urgency to forge a path forward that reflects the deeply held concerns of our members and avoids industrial action.’
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