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DeliciousUnion to fight RFA private option
Monday, November 09, 2009The Rail Maritime and Transport union (RMT) pledged an "all out fight" against what it sees as an attempt to privatise the Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA).
The Ministry of Defence is undertaking a value for money review of the RFA, but has said that more details of the review will be available at the time of the pre-Budget report next year. The RMT anticipates the review will recommend privatisation.
Bob Crow, RMT General Secretary, said: "RMT will mobilise to fight this plan which would amount to an act of short-term suicide that would rob the navy of over a hundred years of experience in the dash for public spending cuts and private profits.
"RMT is seeking an urgent meeting with Defence Secretary Bob Ainsworth to prevent this act of vandalism from reaching the pre-Budget report."
In a statement, the RMT said that a 2006 review of RFA staffing had concluded that the service was "first rate", and would not need to be reviewed again until 2020.
An MoD spokesman said: "We are continually looking at how we can maximise the benefit that we obtain from the resources that are given to us and this review is part of that activity."
HAVE YOUR SAY
Rather than being privatised I would have thought the better option would have been to incorporate them into the main body of the RN. After all RFA ships (in particularly the Bays)are spending most of their time as substitute frigates.
Bob M - Surrey, UK
What a perfect double bluff - firstly cause panic by suggesting privatisation (impossible)and then as a saviour move fully intergrate with the main body of the Navy. The RFA is more or less fully intergrated now, however this would formalise it.
David Clarke - Seaford - UK
another move by a somewhat totally incompetent government.
julie martin - thirsk, uk
I suggest that in the light of today's (Friday) leak regarding the actions (or lack of them!) of RFA Wave Knight my point about the status of these ships is even more relevant. If there'd been more trained "war fighters" on board (particularly marines)things may now have been resolved. If these ships are to be used as substitute warships they need to be crewed as such. If not, as appears to be the case here, embarressment follows. Can the reputation of the RN sink any lower?
Bob M - Surrey UK