RNLI workers strike over island redundancy dispute

Workers at an RNLI lifeboat manufacturing site on the Isle of Wight have gone on strike due to a dispute over redundancy payments.

Production of inshore lifeboats will transfer from East Cowes to Poole, Dorset, by the end of 2027, resulting in the closure of the site on the island.

Up to 70 staff were working there when the plans were first outlined in October. The charity said it would "continue to provide support to all our staff at the inshore lifeboat centre".

East Cowes councillor Karl Love, who joined workers on the picket line, said the closing of the site was a "devastating event".

He added: "It's quite devastating that one of the United Kingdom's richest charities has turned away from the island, leaving workers less able to transfer to other equitable jobs."

He said people on the island were "dismayed by the events unfolding".

"Transferring to Poole is not an option for many, and our island cannot afford to lose the skills, and not just within the workforce - their suppliers and other local businesses will all be affected," he explained.

Unite said it was not feasible for workers to relocate to Poole "for their finances or their families".

It called on the RNLI to "negotiate a fair package" for workers who will be "made redundant after the organisation promised them a job for life".

"The workforce at East Cowes do a highly skilled role supplying and maintaining lifeboats for over half of the 238 stations run by the RNLI across the UK," it said.

General secretary Sharon Graham called the behaviour of the RNLI throughout the dispute a "complete disgrace".

She said: "Expecting workers to relocate to a completely new area, without any financial renumeration or thought as to the impact on their personal lives is completely unfair."

Regional officer Jamie Major said members "had no choice but to take strike action, after receiving a strong mandate for industrial action, following the RNLI's refusal to negotiate better redundancy terms".

He said the charity needed to "give these workers, their families and the community the respect they deserve".

The Inshore Lifeboat Centre on the island opened in 1963 and built and maintained up to 80 lifeboats each year.

However, the RNLI said the site would require more than £5m of investment to continue operating.

In contrast, it said the all-weather Lifeboat Centre in Poole, which opened in 2015, was a larger and newer facility capable of meeting future manufacturing needs.

Ross Barraclough, RNLI chief engineer and technical director, said the charity had "engaged openly" with Unite and was "focused on supporting our employees through this period of change".

He said there had been "sincere efforts" made to support staff, and reports that they would have to leave the area without financial remuneration were inaccurate.

"Through formal consultation, employee forums, drop-in sessions, and one-to-one conversations, we have developed a comprehensive support package which goes above statutory requirement and compares positively across the charity sector," he said.

"It includes voluntary redundancy, redeployment, relocation, and career transition support.

"We have also committed to guaranteed job opportunities in our Poole production facility for production employees, alongside financial and practical support for those who choose to relocate."

He added: "As a charity we must ensure we are using our donor's money wisely, and in most effective way so we remain financially sustainable for generations to come."

Further strikes are currently planned for 19 and 25 August.