Royal Fleet Auxiliary officers to press ahead with planned industrial action ahead of UK General Election

Officers at the Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) will take planned industrial action in the form of action short of strike from 00:01 hrs Saturday 1 June 2024.

Nautilus International members in the RFA voted overwhelmingly for action in response to a below inflation pay offer for 2023/2024 and real terms pay cut of over 30% since 2010.

Nautilus has consistently called for a consolidated pay rise that reflects the high rate of inflation and a pathway to pay restoration. But after a series of talks between the Union and the Government, no credible offer to RFA officers was made.  

Members therefore chose to proceed with the action, despite a general election being announced, due to the strong sentiment that their work supporting the country's national defence is underpaid and undervalued.

Nautilus International director of organising Martyn Gray said: 'This decision to take industrial action has not been taken lightly but underlines the strength of feeling of members at the RFA who are overworked, underpaid and undervalued and have faced a real terms pay cut of over 30% since 2010.

'It is incumbent on all political parties to use this election period to affirm their support for our national defence and the Royal Fleet Auxiliary by committing to a pay rise reflective of the rate of inflation and restoring the pay our members have lost over the last decade.

'Nautilus will seek to work with whoever forms the next government to find a solution, but our mandate for action remains active until October and if a solution is not forthcoming in the early stages of a new government further action will be taken.'