Today (Wednesday) sees planned strike action by Unite the Union members of Red Funnel staff.
Unite say that around 120 Red Funnel staff working on the Southampton-Cowes route, the majority of whom are on the minimum wage, will take 24-hour strike actions on 27th July and 1st, 3rd and 5th August.
Further summer holiday 24-hour strike actions will take place on 9th, 11th, 15th, 17th, 19th, 23rd, 26th and 29th August.
The workers have rejected a pay offer of 4.5 per cent from Red Funnel, increasing to 6.5 per cent for the lowest paid staff, far below the real cost of living, currently running, the union says, at 11.7 per cent and rising.
Collins: Pay offer is fair and reasonable and aligns with our industry
Fran Collins, Chief Executive at Red Funnel, said,
“It is incredibly disappointing that, despite our fair and reasonable offer, Unite members have chosen to strike.
“We value all our colleagues and are keen to recognise their contribution to the company. However, pay increases must also be considered in line with what the business and its customers can sustain to ensure we can continue to provide lifeline services to the Isle of Wight, protect the Island economy and ensure a sustainable future for our business in its 161st year. This claim is in relation to 2022 pay and should have been settled by January 2022. We are pleased that pay claims for all other colleagues have already been settled for 2022. Our offer of 4.5 per cent (and 6.3 per cent for six ranks) is fair and reasonable and aligns with our industry. We are sympathetic to the current cost of living challenges but reiterate that they did not play a part in our pay talks.
“It is important to recognise Red Funnel is owned by three pension funds, one in Canada and two in the UK, which represent a range of former public and private sector workers. Those pension funds have not taken any money out of the business in the last three years. They have provided millions of pounds of finance to support Red Funnel throughout the pandemic and with essential recovery. We were also supported by the Government to secure the provision of essential services during the darkest days of the pandemic but must now manage our own recovery as a business.
“Our absolute priority today is continuing to provide a lifeline service, ensuring passengers can travel safely for work, education, and essential medical appointments. We will also be supporting our colleagues who are working. We are working hard to minimise disruption for our customers and to date we have rebooked 25,000 bookings onto alternative sailings throughout strike days in August.
“It is not appropriate for us to comment on other businesses; however, we are keen to recognise our teams in the bargaining unit (which excludes our cleaning colleagues) with a pay increase. We can only do this once this dispute has been resolved. We give a range of pay and benefits to our colleagues as well as their base pay. Despite the challenges and rising costs, as recognition of our teams’ loyalty and dedication in 2021 we were able to offer a one per cent pay uplift for all colleagues, plus staff bonuses and recognition payments that on average, paid out £991 per employee. We have also taken the opportunity to enhance employee benefits in addition to the 2022 salary uplift offer. These include enhanced sick pay and annual leave arrangements, opportunity to receive private medical insurance, and review the long-service scheme to recognise loyalty in addition to payment for the additional Jubilee bank holiday weekend, regardless of contract type.
“As a 24-hour business we provide colleagues with access to hotels or fully equipped ensuite accommodation, which has been inspected and approved by HSE. Unite the Union has been invited to view the accommodation facilities, which they have not yet done.
“We continue to engage with Unite in an effort to resolve this dispute as soon as possible and sincerely apologise that our customers are inconvenienced by this situation.”
Unite: Will not stand for disgusting treatment of these workers
Unite general secretary, Sharon Graham, said,
“Unite will not stand for Red Funnel’s disgusting treatment of these workers. Red Funnel’s owners are awash with cash. They can afford to pay and right the wrongs our members are subjected to.
“Our members are absolutely right to strike to end this injustice. Unite will be supporting them with its full force every step of the way.”
