Unite says that Red Funnel’s treatment of its workforce is a ‘disgrace’, ahead of 120 staff members being balloted for strike action.
In a dispute over poverty pay, around 20% of the cross-Solent operator’s customer service staff, shunters and ratings will be asked between 14th June and 5th July whether or not they want to take industrial action.
If the majority vote for strike action then Red Funnel’s services could be seriously impacted this Summer, with no action being taken before late July.
It comes as the workers have rejected a pay offer of 4.5%, rising to 6.5% for the lowest-paid staff. Union members of Unite are asking for a 16% rise.
Unite says the workers are increasingly struggling to pay increased rents. Some are turning to food banks and ‘making the most’ of food allowances at work to keep bills down.
General secretary Sharon Graham has said:
“Red Funnel’s treatment of this workforce is a disgrace. These workers put themselves and their families at risk during the pandemic to keep the ferry services operating so food and essentials could reach the Isle of Wight. This is no way to repay them.
“Red Funnel must respect this workforce and pay fairly or face strike action.
Article continues below this advertisement “Unite is determined to win them pay that supports a decent living and, should our members take strike action, their union will be with them every step of the way”.
Regional officer Ian Woodland adds:
“A strike will cause severe travel disruption to and from the island. But the fault for that disruption will lay with Red Funnel, who need to recognise that many of their staff are sliding quickly into poverty.
“We urge the company to put forward a pay deal that reflects the soaring cost of living so strikes and the disruption they will cause can be avoided.”
So unfair that CEO and shareholders make millions out of us – the fare paying customers but staff are treated this way – redfunnel should understand without staff it will make nothing.
They claim poverty but are prepared to lose money when they go on strike.
Do what people have always done when times are hard.
Tighten your belts.
Problem is, nobody had to tighten their belts during the pandemic while also getting the taste for being paid for watching Netflix. The average Brit has no idea how to tighten their belt.
I agree , those of us a certain age who lived through tightening our belts didn’t go without. So many have lost their jobs , many on food banks and some of us lucky to still have work . We need to start counting our blessings. 16% that’s outrageous, the fat cats get fatter because as soon as they get their raise fares will go up again and then people will be moaning about that .
Nobody will ever take the profit from infracaptial,consortium etc….too greedy, don’t care….they buy shares to make money and bully companies for higher unrealistic turn overs…
End result staff on rubbish wages and leaving or dropping like flies
Bye Bye Red Funnel. Your time is up.
Tosser !!
16 per cent , are you joking ?????
Everyone is in the same boat ( no pun intended)
We all are facing higher bills, food petrol etc ….
But I wouldn’t strike , I cut my coat according to the cloth , and I was taught that at a very early age….
If you get a massive pay rise everybody who uses Red Funnel will have to pay higher fares ,then do we go on strike ????
Vicious circle…
Pay and conditions on red funnel are poor and this needs to be sorted. They have my support every day of the week. Until you know the ins and out of the pay claim and of the conditions i really dont know how anyone can side with the company and make silly remarks like tighten your belt
More reason to build a bridge , then we will all have more money in our pockets
Cloud cuckoo land. To pay for the billions, yes billions that it or a tunnel would cost, the users would have to fork out probably what the ferries are charging. It would take beyond all our lifetimes for it to see any sort of profit so no company in their right mind would even consider it.
What a joke – 16% pay rise, that’s even higher than the silly amount the RMT want. Irrespective what you think of the company, that is ridiculous especially in the current financial climate. It’s islanders and tourists that will pay it, through higher fares!
Most of the time the staff appear to be of sick so going on strike won’t make any difference
Don’t worry you can use the tunnel !
A lot of people that travel with them haven’t had a pay rise,
Stupid women !
If the money is not good enough find another job, there are plenty out there for those that wish to work, if Red Funnel end up with no staff they will increase wages, but don’t hold the public and Red Funnel to Ransome
Here we go again with Trade Unions (Labour in other words!) using innocent workers with righteous grievances to push forward their agenda of absurd demands just to create chaos! That is disgusting!
It’s nothing to do with labour, just greed.
These workers don’t know when they are well off.
Publish your existing pay rate before you go expecting any public sympathy
16 % increase in the Pension that I paid 50 years in for please. Not a chance, 3.1% take it or leave we were told.
I wouldn’t worry too much with the price of tickets no one will be able to afford to use them anyway.
Poverty pay ? are they living on the streets begging for change -no, then they aren’t in poverty
if they need to use food banks, then striking means even less money in their bank accounts on pay day – the staff are lying – the fact that they are voting to strike, means they are comfortable in the knowledge that they can pay their household bills on less money.
perhaps the CEO should say – Ok you go on strike, but you will be in breach of contract and will be sacked – we will then replace all of you, with people who will subsequently be losing their jobs in other sectors as the recession bites harder.
strikes are foolish.
Please sir, can I have some more.
So, you want 16% ?
If you get anywhere near that the prices go up, less people will use the ferries.
I barely use the ferries as it is because of the extortionate prices.
My pension triple lock was frozen so I got a pay cut.
Remember P&O action which they largely got away with.
You still going to strike for 16% ?
No wonder the aussies refer to British as whinging poms , I totally get it reading some comments
Build a Tunnel, new companies will start up on this Island, new job opportunities with fair pay, Many products in shops would become cheaper as NO FERRY TO PAY FOR… ( Has to be a tunnel, a bridge would be useless in high winds Fog and whatever other weather comes along) Tunnel will not have stairs to fall down, lifts that keep breaking, timetables that are rarely adhered to, no cancellations, cheaper prices… BIG PLUS>. Could travel to and from mainland after 20:20 hours. Could even travel to mainland on Christmas day !!!
not the brightest are you – the products come over to the island in large lorries, whereby the individual retailer is paying not much more than postage – or as the large retailers such as tesco pay a few hundred quid a lorry, minus the fuel and wear and tear on the lorry whilst it sits on the ferry. The cost of the ferry charge against a large articulated lorry of goods, means a fraction of a penny on each individual item. If there was a tunnel – you think there would be no toll?
you can still travel to the mainland nearly 24 hours a day car ferries run most of the night – stop whinging and move if you don’t like it.
Most of the workers on the island are on ‘minimum wage’; most seem to cope without using food bank.
Yes, however it seems that some people see smart phones, tats and booze as being a higher priority than food these days. Then they start bleating about how they can’t afford to feed their kids.
Let’s not forget that only 20 percent of the entire workforce of Red Funnel are Union members, so a small amount of potential strikers. I sympathise with poor pay but asking for a 16 percent pay rise in the current climate is ridiculous. I fear though that with rampant inflation we are going to see more union calls for strike action for unreasonable pay rise demands, and we will all be affected by it.
Yes, you are right.
The IW is definitely scab central.