RFA Tideforce, as seen in the background, monitors the Russian frigate Admiral Grigorovich in an unknown location in this handout image dated June 4, 2026 . UK MOD © Crown copyright 2026/Royal Navy/Handout via REUTERS THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY MANDATORY CREDIT
Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) personnel will receive above-inflation pay increases and improved leave benefits after maritime trade unions accepted a new agreement with the UK government aimed at supporting recruitment and retention across the civilian-crewed fleet.
The deal includes a 4.5% pay rise effective from April 1, 2025, followed by a 3.6% increase from April 1, 2026. It also introduces enhanced leave arrangements that allow RFA personnel to earn additional time off for periods spent at sea, a one-off leave buy-back scheme, and a £250 one-time payment.
The agreement was welcomed by Minister for Veterans and People Calvin Bailey during a visit to Portland Port, where he met crews aboard RFA Tidespring and RFA Mounts Bay. Bailey said the package recognizes the RFA’s critical role in supporting Royal Navy operations worldwide and provides a foundation for the fleet as it prepares to crew the next generation of Fleet Solid Support Ships.
“The Royal Fleet Auxiliary is a vital part of the Royal Navy and contributes directly to the UK’s national security through their crucial work across the world,” Bailey said.
The RFA is a Ministry of Defence-owned, civilian-crewed fleet that provides fuel, ammunition, supplies and logistical support to Royal Navy and allied vessels, enabling them to sustain operations globally.
During the visit, Bailey toured RFA Tidespring, which recently returned from a Carrier Strike Group deployment to the High North, and RFA Mounts Bay, which is preparing for future deployments.
The RMT and Nautilus unions both confirmed that members had accepted the offer and said they would continue working with the RFA on modernization efforts, including further improvements to leave entitlements and pay arrangements.
The government said the agreement forms part of a broader effort to improve recruitment and retention across the defense workforce and is expected to help ensure the RFA is adequately staffed to meet future operational demands, including supporting the Royal Navy’s Carrier Strike Groups.
The latest agreement follows a landmark deal reached in January 2025, when Royal Fleet Auxiliary officers accepted an above-inflation pay offer after one of the longest industrial disputes in the service’s history. The dispute included the first strike by RFA personnel and more than 100 days of industrial action over pay and conditions, with unions arguing that real wages had fallen by more than 30% since 2010. The latest deal builds on that agreement with additional pay increases for 2025 and 2026, improved leave arrangements, and continued negotiations on broader modernization and workforce reforms.
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