MARITIME and transport union RMT confirmed yesterday that its members in the Royal Fleet Auxiliary ‘will strike alongside public sector colleagues on the 28th March.’
An RMT statement added: ‘Following the National Day of Strike Action observed by RFA members and many other public sector workers on 30th November 2011, further talks took place with the government to try to resolve the dispute over radical pension changes.
‘A further proposal was made by the government which was accepted by some unions. However, RMT and a number of other public services unions such as PCS, Unite, NIPSA, NUT, UCU and the Welsh and Scottish Teaching Unions have not.
‘RMT’s Shipping Grades Committee has met to consider the matter and RMT will join in a further national day of strike action with our sister trade unions on Wednesday, 28th March 2012.’
RMT general secretary Bob Crow said: ‘We will be sending the clearest message to the government that we will defend our pensions to the hilt and the demand that our members should work longer, pay more and get less will be thrown back in the faces of this government of millionaire public schoolboys.’
A PCS spokesman said: ‘We are working towards industrial action with other unions on March 28.
‘Our consultative ballot with members closes tomorrow and the results of that, and the positions of the other unions, will be considered by a special meeting of our national executive on Monday afternoon.’
The NUT national executive on Wednesday decided on a London-wide strike on March 28th.
Following the meeting NUT general secretary Christine Blower said: ‘The NUT executive has today decided that the campaign to defend teachers’ pensions must continue. The government’s proposals still lead to teachers paying a lot more, working a lot longer and getting a lot less.’
She concluded: ‘We will be seeking to meet with other teaching unions to discuss the best possible course of action, up to and including strike action, in order to stop this government continuing its smash and grab raid on our pensions.’
Following its National Executive meeting, NASUWT general secretary Chris Keates said: ‘The NASUWT national executive has voted unanimously to reject the Government’s proposed Final Agreement…
‘The NASUWT will continue its action short of strike action, which has been in place since 30 November, following an overwhelmingly successful ballot in furtherance of the union’s trade dispute with the government over pensions and conditions of service, including pay, jobs and workload.’
A University and College Union (UCU) spokesman told News Line yesterday: ‘Our NEC is meeting on Friday (today) to decide what next. We will have something to say then.’
