Workers employed by the Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) have voted to accept an improved pay offer from the Ministry of Defence, ending a dispute on pay and conditions.
The employees, who are members of the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT), will receive a 6.5% pay award, as well as £750 consolidated into base pay from 1 November 2024 and on 1 February 2025.
The deal will also see sailors be eligible for a shorthand allowance based on 3% of their salary to cover the period 1 July 2024–1 October 2025, in recognition of extra workload on understaffed ships. In addition, up to 50% of earned voyage leave can be cashed in or liquidised over the financial year that begins in February 2025.
Other key benefits included in the deal are travel vouchers, a bonus scheme retained throughout the agreement, shorter assignments and a better work-life balance.
The referendum saw a turnout of 83.43%, with 84.29% voting to accept the deal. The union stated that the uplifts in salaries and earnings, including backpay, goes some of the way to address the pay suppression over many years.
A Ministry of Defence spokesperson said: “The Royal Fleet Auxiliary provides crucial support to the delivery of operations with the Royal Navy and our allies around the world to help keep us secure at home and strong abroad. We welcome the ballot results accepting the pay deal. This is a government delivering for defence. We remain committed to a continued dialogue with the RFA and their maritime trade unions to address the issues they have raised.”
Mick Lynch, general secretary of the RMT, said: “This is a fantastic result for our RFA members, who’ve stood strong, united and taken several bouts of strike action during this dispute. They’ve secured real-terms pay increases, important improvements to their working lives and I thank them for their efforts. This agreement lays the groundwork for securing their future and vital role assisting the Royal Navy. We now go in to a phase of serious discussions with the RFA and Ministry of Defence on the future structure of the RFA, [its] conditions of service and salaries in which we expect to make further significant improvements for our members.”
The Royal Fleet Auxiliary was contacted for comment prior to publication.
