Where next for the RFA?

In January, Nautilus members voted to accept a pay offer from the Royal Fleet Auxiliary after months of unprecedented industrial action – but this deal is the beginning, not the end, of the Union's fight. Nautilus director of organising Martyn Gray spoke to Rob Coston about what is to come

Rob Coston (RC): Could you briefly go into that deal that our members voted on?

Martyn Gray (MG): We were presented with an offer just before Christmas which our members voted to accept as an agreeable interim solution to the longstanding pay and retention challenges that RFA has been developing over 15 years of austerity. It recognizes the challenges of the past, represents an above inflation pay award for the vast majority of those that we represent, and also recognizes that more needs to be done.

This means that we are already starting the next round of negotiations, on the basis of wanting to deal with the longstanding challenges.

Due to this deal, we don't need to immediately plan for industrial action, and the MOD also doesn't have to plan around that action – meaning that we can all throw time, effort and resources into figuring out the right solution.

RC: Is there anything the RFA and the government committed to taking forward into the future negotiations?

MG: For the next round, which we've already started, they recognised that more needs to be done regarding where RFA pay sits compared with the wider maritime industry, and regarding the retention and recruitment challenges.

The first step in addressing those problems is admitting that they exist, which is something that we've struggled with for the last decade. We've now seen a shift in attitude and approach to dealing with the industrial challenges.

This interim solution allows for time and space to deal with the long-term issues, as well as recognition that there needs to be sources of evidence that would support the restructuring of RFA pay rewards and non-pay items so that they are competitive.

RC: We have been asking our members what they're looking for from the 2025-2026 round of pay negotiations. I know this is sensitive, but is there anything you can say about what outcomes our members are hoping for?

MG: I think it's universally acknowledged that the leave ratio needs to be adjusted for a better work-life balance. That has been a key point for a number of years. There also need to be conversations over allowances, over the rates our members get paid for being Royal Navy Reservists, and over other terms, conditions and benefits.

This is going to be a lengthy process, so it's really important to tell us what it is that you're looking for and to stay with us as we do everything we can do to deliver as much as possible, as quickly as we can. There is strength in the numbers that we have now at the RFA.

There'll need to be discussions, as always, on moving the pay towards where it should be after years of inflationary pressures (especially when we look at it in comparison to other blue light services or even in comparison to the Royal Navy over the same period).

Those discussions are happening.

We've also got commitments to agree and negotiate a new Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) that should make clearer the role of the unions and the employer in discussing changes. Over time, there have been a lot of unilaterally-applied changes to ways people were working – in some instances to the way things have been organised for quite some time, with no notice or consultation. We will be able to make sure that in future we form part of negotiations and can work towards the improvement of terms and conditions for all RFA members.

RC: Do you have a message to anyone working at the RFA about what they can do to help get this over the line?

MG: To members at RFA, please stick with us. This is going to be a lengthy process. We're giving ourselves as much time as we can – negotiations this year started two weeks after we concluded the dispute – but it's likely that we won't have an agreement in place by the July anniversary date of the Pay Review. We will be close and working towards it, though, so it's really important to tell us what it is that you're looking for and to stay with us as we do everything we can do to deliver as much as possible, as quickly as we can. There is strength in the numbers that we have now at the RFA.

To those that are on the fence about being a member of Nautilus, look at what we have been able to achieve over a period of time. Look what your collective will and determination has enabled us to deliver. When you're a member, you get to have your say. You get to vote. And your industrial action allows us to demonstrate your strength of feeling and better protect your interests.

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Watch the full interview on Nautilus TV.