Over 50 members of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) picketed at the Pillars by Victoria Square on Portland this morning over pay and conditions.
French Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte once said something to the effect of, “An army marches on its stomach”, and the RFA does just that for the Royal Navy – it supplies logistics, food and fuel to our fighting force at sea.
The National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (the RMT) said in a release, “Seafarers can routinely work up to 12 hours a day and there remains no clear or transparent formula setting out how pay is calculated against those hours.”
In the Merchant Navy the four hours a day outside of watch-keeping hours are usually regarded as ‘overtime’ and paid accordingly. These four extra hours are essential to the maintenance and upkeep of ships at sea that face unpredictable and often harsh conditions at all times away from the dock.
Saying that the seafarers in the union have long been overlooked when it comes to pay and conditions, RMT General Secretary Eddie Dempsey said: “Our members in the Royal Fleet Auxiliary are taking a principled stand today and I congratulate them.
“They have made their position clear. They will not accept substandard pay offers and are prepared to take further strike action if necessary to get the pay rise they deserve.
“Our members play a vital role in supporting the Navy, often in some of the most demanding and dangerous working conditions.”
Seafarers in the RFA routinely come under fire in conflicts and are major targets when it comes to preventing the Royal Navy from fighting – cut the supply lines and a ship can’t fight.
In an increasingly unpredictable and dangerous time in terms of geopolitics, those involved at all stages of the fighting supply chain need to be recognised for their efforts. The RFA is facing problems around recruitment and retention. If the supply lines for the Navy can’t be manned, its ships cannot defend the interests of the nation.
Dempsey closed by saying, “The MOD and the employer now need to come forward with a serious, long-term commitment to improving pay and conditions, including ensuring they comply with National Minimum Wage legislation, if they are serious about retaining staff.”
