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Industrial

RFA officers overwhelmingly vote to continue strike action

6 November 2024

Nautilus International members at the Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) have voted by an overwhelming majority to continue both strike action and action short of strike.

Even more members voted in favour of industrial action than the first ballot in early 2024, strengthening the Union's mandate in the fight for fair pay at a service where wages have shrunk by 30% in real terms since 2010.

The Union was required by law to reballot members in order to continue industrial action, which began with action short of strike on 1 June and has since escalated to include five days of full strike action – the first strikes in the history of the organisation.

However, the mandate for industrial action is now even stronger after the government's failure to put forward a serious pay offer. On a turnout of 63%, 97% of members voted for action short of strike and 90% voted for strike action.

In the previous ballot, the turnout was 60% with 79% voting yes to strike action and 85% voting yes to action short of strike.

Nautilus director of organising Martyn Gray said: 'Thank you to all our members at the RFA for participating in the ballot and standing strong like this.

'With this vote, our members have send the strongest possible message to the government – that they will no longer be ignored, and their hard work and dedication can no longer be taken for granted.

'This issue will not go away, and the only way for the government to settle it is to present our hardworking members – who play an essential and increasing role in national defence – with a serious pay offer that RFA officers feel able to accept.'


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