Disruption to ferry services to Isle of Wight as Red Funnel staff strike
People are being told to expect disruption to ferry services between Southampton and the Isle of Wight as Red Funnel staff go on strike today.
About 120 workers will be walking out in a dispute over pay. It means a revised timetable is running instead.
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: "This mandate for strike action is no surprise to us. It should act as a wake-up call to this employer because these workers are done waiting and are ready to fight for a pay rise.
"They will receive Unite's total and utter support in that fight."
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% (and 6.3% for 6 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 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 1% 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.”