Andrew Pozzi

Most definitely not the 110m Hurdler!!
Seaman - Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA)
🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 🇦🇪 🇧🇭 🇬🇮 🇬🇷 🇨🇾 🇶🇦 🇧🇻 🇳🇱 🇨🇵

[Navy Lookout @NavyLookout]

The Cinderella service - How Britain is starving its Navy of the means to fight.

@GHWTowler on the state of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary

https://t.co/HJHn8UgHmV

[Navy Lookout @NavyLookout]

Unsurprisingly, RFA sailors, members of @RMTunion have backed industrial action over latest pay offer which fell short of expectations.

Turnout 61.43%
Vote for strike action: 96.5%
Vote for action Short of a strike: 95.3%

https://t.co/sI3iwbCDXl

[Navy Lookout @NavyLookout]

The RFA is lurching towards another crisis due to Treasury penny- pinching.

Last week RFA leadership finally met with Maritime Trade Unions to present 2025/26 pay offer.

It was no surprise to anyone that it did not meet expectations and both @nautilusint and @RMTunion formally rejected the proposal on behalf of all employees. Strike action is probably imminent.

The RFA hopes to get ACAS involved in arbitration, but decent pay is the only solution to declining morale and further loss of people from the RN's critical logistic support service.

https://t.co/Nm05DTqYT3

[Andrew Pozzi @anotherpozzi]

@RyanBernerDad @Dividend_Miner @USNavy Had the pleasure of RASing DDG 84 just the other day ⛽🌊

[HMS St Albans @HMSStAlbans]

First RAS of the deployment complete! ⚓️ @HMSStAlbans successfully Replenished At Sea with @RFATideforce, ensuring we stay fuelled and ready for operations. Let’s beat the tally from last time!

[Navy Lookout @NavyLookout]

BREAKING:

Steel cut for RFA Resurgent, the first Fleet Solid Support ship

https://t.co/meZuXCW4FF

[Tom Sharpe @TomSharpe134]

Thoughts on the latest scandal to befall the Royal Fleet Auxiliary

RFA Argus, old, much loved but run on way beyond what’s sensible

Eventually Lloyds called ‘time’ but the signs were 10+ years in the making and largely ignored

/1

https://t.co/T7PsNFc6YK

[UK Defence Journal @UKDefJournal]

The Ministry of Defence has addressed questions raised in Parliament about the ongoing pay dispute within the Royal Fleet Auxiliary.
https://t.co/q2lsZzty0X

[Engaging Strategy @EngageStrategy1]

@pinstripedline @TomSharpe134 The fate of the fleet auxiliary is the most eggregious component of all of this. Far and away the most capable in Europe, eviscerated basically due to a 'computer says no' approach to their pay and conditions due to their classification as Civil Servants.

[Engaging Strategy @EngageStrategy1]

Just a reminder that the RFA has been crippled by workforce issues due to worsening pay and conditions for its seafarers over a decade.

Their total annual wage bill? £96m

0.0017% of the Defence Budget.

The cost to actually fix this would be miniscule. Not doing so is a choice.

[Nautilus International @nautilusint]

🚨 NAUTILUS MEMBERS VOTE IN FAVOUR OF CONTINUED RFA STRIKE ACTION 🚨

RFA (Royal Fleet Auxiliary) officers, represented by Nautilus International, have voted overwhelmingly to continue strike action after the government failed to put forward a serious pay offer.

The latest ballot has increased the mandate for further industrial action, with 90%, rising from 79%, voting in favor of full strike action on an increased turnout.

Over the past 14 years, our members have seen a real terms pay cut of 30%, despite playing an essential role in national defense.

Speaking to members, Nautilus director of organizing 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 sent 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.

#FairPayRFA

[BFBS Forces News @ForcesNews]

"Any reduction in the RFA would cripple the @RoyalNavy's global defence capability"🗣️

Despite the vital role it carries out, the Royal Fleet Auxiliary is under threat, and that's bad news for the Navy, argues @pinstripedline.

Find out more here👇
https://t.co/7FPqbAzEGd

[Navy Lookout @NavyLookout]

The latest RFA pay offer has been summarily rejected by the Maritime Trade Unions @nautilusint @RMTunion

Anger is palpable and further industrial action is likely.

Unions still want 2023-4 settlement addressed but Govt refusing. The latest offer part funded by giving up leave vouchers plus bonus only if the RFA met certain targets.

[Sir Humphrey @pinstripedline]

A brilliant article by @TomSharpe134 about the hugely dangerous situation in the RFA. Of all the challenges facing the RN, this is arguably both the most serious risk to our blue water status and the easiest to address.

https://t.co/g9xFD5Ppd8

[Navy Lookout @NavyLookout]

.@TomSharpe134 on the current state of the Royal Fleet Auxilary

Hey, Starmer and Reeves. This group of public sector workers really deserves a pay rise

https://t.co/MrGeNNV3Xe

[UK Forces Tracker @UKForcesTracker]

The Dismal State of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary.

Note: RFA Argus, Lyme Bay and Mounts Bay are deployed, and crew cannot leave ship. Expect that similar to Cardigan Bay, they will return in need of maintenance or refits, but much of their ships' companies will leave.

[Nautilus International @nautilusint]

Yesterday, Nautilus and the RMT presented an emergency motion to TUC Congress 2024.

✊ They voted unanimously to stand in solidarity with our members at the Royal Fleet Auxiliary!✊

The trade union movement is united. Now it's time for the government to step up and deliver a meaningful pay offer. Our members work hard to keep the UK safe, but they've endured a 30% real-terms pay cut - they deserve better!

Full story below:

[Nautilus International @nautilusint]

🚨 RFA DISPUTE 🚨

Nautilus general secretary Mark Dickinson moving the emergency motion to support our members at the Royal Fleet Auxiliary.

“To the government, I say this: you are sending a message, a message our members have received since 2010, that we don’t value you, we don’t hear you and we won’t support you. This not good enough.“

The motion was supported unanimously!

Watch the speech 👇

[Navy Lookout @NavyLookout]

Royal Fleet Auxiliary officers and crew @nautilusint @RMTunion to commence a series of rolling strikes over pay to coincide with the Labour party conference.

https://t.co/Yi7gh7VyeK

https://t.co/B0KlBosklt

Photo: Andy Amor

[UK Forces Tracker @UKForcesTracker]

Worth noting:

- RFA Fort Victoria, Tiderace, Tideforce, Wave Knight and Wave Ruler are inactive due to shortage of crew.
- RFA Tidespring and Stirling Castle's activities are limited due to missing key personnel.
- RFA Proteus is in maintenance.
- RFA Tidesurge is active.