STOP ROYAL FLEET AUXILIARY CUTS

The Ministry of Defence is planning to withdraw from service the Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) ships the Fort George, the Bayleaf and the Largs Bay. Even with the proposed regeneration of the Fort Austin this represents a significant loss of RFA crews. RMT is asking you to add your voice to the campaign by filling in your postcard, using the Freepost address provided, to ask your MP to support our campaign by signing Early Day Motion 1315, Future of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary. RMT parliamentary group convenor John MacDonnell MP has already won cross-party support in the campaign to stop the privatisation of the RFA, but the fight to retain jobs and ships goes on. RMT national secretary Steve Todd said that the Value for Money review being undertaken could mean a further ten per cent cut in ships and RFA crew numbers. “Money that could have been used to protect jobs and vessels has been wasted on another round of market testing. “Our priority now is to fight any cuts to vital RFA services by this ConDem government,” he said. The Royal Fleet Auxiliary service has a long and proud history of providing efficient and economical worldwide combat support and strategic sealift to the Royal Navy and other armed forces. It has always been a civilian crewed fleet with seafarers playing a key role in sustaining the employment and training of UK seafarers. The RFA not only provides a lifeline to the Royal Navy but also plays a significant role in underpinning UK maritime skills. UK ratings numbers have declined from 30,000 in 1980 to 11,000 today. In the same period, UK deck and engineer officer numbers have fallen from more than 28,000 to barely 11,000. The Royal Fleet Auxiliary is the largest employer of UK seafaring ratings and officers, employing 2,300 seafarers from around the UK. Under the Strategic Defence Review the Ministry of Defence plan to withdraw three ships from service. The RFA not only serves as a supply line to the Royal Navy. The service also demonstrates unrivalled technical expertise through training, the deployment of ships in peacekeeping and humanitarian efforts around the world, and in efforts to combat piracy and drug smuggling. Throughout its first 105 years, the RFA has remained a civilian manned service, with crews continuing to follow Merchant Navy training and qualification pathways. At the same time, however, it has embraced the increased needs to undergo specialist training in such areas as helicopters, fire- fighting and damage control, use of self-defence systems, specialist navigation and warfare, naval communications and command systems. Besides their ever-present involvement in military support, RFA vessels now provide a wide range of sophisticated roles – including amphibious support and secure strategic sealift, aviation training, casualty reception, and forward repair functions. In recent years, RFA ships have become increasingly involved in providing relief after natural disasters in such areas as Africa, Sri Lanka and the Caribbean, as well as recently working with the US Coast Guard on successful counter- drug smuggling operations in the Caribbean. RMT helpline 0800 376 3706 :: february 2011 :: RMTnews 8 Royal Fleet Auxiliary under threat STOP ROYAL FLEET AUXILIARY CUTS Shipping members will receive a postcard with this magazine to send in support of Early Day Motion 1315 against plans to shed RFA ships and jobs Early Day Motion 1315 FUTURE OF THE ROYAL FLEET AUXILIARY That this House is concerned at the substantial cuts proposed for the Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) fleet; notes that the RFA is Britain's essential supply service to the Royal Navy and recognises that the service also demonstrates unrivalled technical expertise through training, the deployment of ships in peacekeeping and humanitarian tasks around the world, in addition to its work in combating piracy and drug smuggling; acknowledges that the RFA also plays a very significant role in underpinning UK maritime skills; further notes that in addition to the planned loss of ships under the Strategic Defence and Security Review, a value for money exercise is also being undertaken that could mean a further 10 per cent cut in ships and crew numbers; and therefore urges the Government to protect the Royal Fleet Auxiliary from these proposed cuts which threaten to undermine this lifeline service to the Royal Navy. John MacDonnell MP