A pay dispute involving Royal Navy mariners has delayed vital work on a ship that has been playing a key role in relief efforts in Gaza.
The Cardigan Bay, part of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA), has been stuck in Portland harbour for three weeks after crew members began a work-to-rule following failed negotiations with the Ministry of Defence.
One of three Bay Class amphibious vessels capable of carrying 700 soldiers or civilians, the Cardigan Bay has been deployed around the world for the past two-and-a-half years and requires a major refit.
However, after the ship returned home to Portland in early September, crew members owed shore leave after four months at sea declined to move her 140 nautical miles (160 miles) for repairs and maintenance at the Falmouth yard of A&P Group.
RFA personnel are merchant navy sailors rather than members of the armed forces, meaning they are permitted to take industrial action when not at sea.
The Nautilus union, which represents about 600 RFA officers, said it resorted to the action after the MoD imposed a 4.5pc pay settlement for the year that began in July 2023, despite the sum having been rejected twice.
The union is seeking a bigger increase following what it claims is a 30pc decline in RFA wages versus the commercial merchant navy equivalent since 2009. The Royal Navy’s military personnel have seen pay increase by 13pc more over the same period, it says.
Martyn Gray, organisational director at Nautilus, said: “RFA sailors are chronically underpaid, especially when you consider their skill set and the training required, as well as the operational conditions that they face.
“The biggest impact has been on their families. They’re away from home for eight months of the year but are still struggling to provide for their families.
“Our objective is not to cause difficulties to the Royal Navy but to show how much the RFA has been depending on the goodwill of our members, which has now expired.”
Nautilus has also staged several days of strikes – the first in the 119-year history of the RFA – though the work-to-rule has proved more disruptive as staff shortages leave the service heavily reliant on crew volunteering to complete even day-to-day tasks.
Headcount in the RFA has plunged in recent years, with many vessels operating with the minimum level of crew possible, in some cases leaving them 30pc under strength.
Entry-level officers in the RFA, who include engineers and logistics personnel, are paid around £30,000, while captains earn more than £70,000. The RMT, which represents around 1,000 workers in the service, is also in dispute with the MoD and has staged its own strikes.
The Cardigan Bay sailed for Bahrain in 2022 to assist Royal Navy minesweepers in the Persian Gulf. She was redeployed to Cyprus in April to support the US Army in delivering 8,800 tonnes of food and other humanitarian supplies into Gaza via a floating pier.
Sister ship RFA Mounts Bay has now taken over her role in Cyprus, where around 700 British troops are being sent to aid in any emergency evacuation of Lebanon as the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah continues to escalate.
While it is not known if the MoD intends to send the Cardigan Bay back to the Middle East, the delayed refit will hold up its operational readiness.
Bay Class vessels can also carry up to 24 Challenger tanks or 150 light trucks, as well as Chinook helicopters.
The RFA’s only other ship in the class, the Lyme Bay, is currently on active service. A fourth, the Largs Bay, was sold to the Royal Australian Navy in 2011.
Another RFA vessel, the refuelling tanker Tidespring, is also tied up in Portland and lacking sufficient crew to set sail, according to a report on the Navy Lookout website, which provides news and analysis of Royal Navy operations.
Mr Gray said that the RFA is so under-resourced that it could probably only fully crew five or six of its dozen or so vessels in an emergency.
He said that Nautilus’s mandate for industrial action closes on Oct 4, after which crews can be required to move the Cardigan Bay, though individuals could still opt to carry on working according to the terms of their contract.
A second strike ballot is underway but the result won’t be known until November.
The Royal Navy said it doesn’t comment on ship movements for security reasons, but that it constantly monitors programmes to ensure that the UK’s operational commitments are met.
A spokesman for the MoD said it is working to minimise the impact of industrial action at the Royal Fleet Auxiliary and will maintain a dialogue to address the issues raised by the unions.
While the 5pc pay increase stands, he said the RFA is consulting with members on recruitment and retention initiatives and options for more flexible working.
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