RFA officers to begin work-to-rule protest over unresolved pay and conditions dispute

Ships' officers in the Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) — the Ministry of Defence’s civilian maritime support service — will begin a work-to-rule on Sunday 10 May 2026.

The officers, who are members of Nautilus International, will work strictly to their contracts and assignments. They will refuse additional duties and extended tours — as well as anything not written into their formal agreements. This is known as Industrial Action Short of a Strike (IASOS).

RFA officers voted 95% in favour of industrial action short of a strike and 88% in favour of strike action in February 2026. This follows longstanding frustrations from long-running disputes over pay, working conditions, leave, and allowances. Talks with the Ministry of Defence and RFA management have continued since then, but the core concerns remain unaddressed.

The action covers Nautilus International members who are officers across engineering, navigation, communications, systems engineering, and logistics and supply roles. Officers serving as master (the vessel’s commanding officer) are excluded.

From 00:01 on Sunday 10 May, the officers will:

• work only to their contracted job description and assigned rank
• refuse duties not written into their contract or letter of appointment
• refuse to extend tours of duty beyond agreed contractual limits
• refuse to be moved to vessels or shore roles not named in their appointment documents
• decline multi-location working unless their contract specifically provides for it Safety will not be compromised. The officers will continue to meet all safety, environmental, and legal obligations throughout the action.

A further meeting between the officers’ representatives and the Ministry of Defence is scheduled for Friday 1 May 2026. The action will continue until a resolution is reached.