The East Cowes ward councillor, Karl Love, has said it is ‘disrespectful and hurtful’ that RNLI executives do not go ‘above and beyond’ to support their Isle of Wight workforce, given 200 years of ‘loyal service’.
In scathing criticisms of the charity’s management amid threatened strike action by around 50 workers at the East Cowes RNLI Inshore Lifeboat Centre (ILC), Karl Love accused bosses of obstruction as they ‘abandon the Island’.
It was last week (16th June), that Unite said staff at the boat building base are strike balloting after the RNLI refused to recognise the union.
Ross Barraclough, RNLI chief engineer and technical director, said that while the charity is ‘disappointed’ to hear of the plans to ballot for strike action, the well-being of its employees has been at the ‘heart’ of its approach from the very beginning.
The RNLI last month confirmed it would close the ILC in East Cowes by 2028, moving production to a site in Poole.
Cllr Love said:
“It is incredibly disrespectful and hurtful that the RNLI executives do not go above and beyond to support their Island workforce given the 200 years of loyal service and the millions of pounds our Island community has raised for them.
“The RNLI is probably one of the most impressive organisations in the UK with a supposed higher than high reputation for compassion and caring for people injured by tragedies but yet, fails to recognise and respond to the needs of its own committed workforce, now further injured emotionally alongside their families by this stubborn refusal to be inclusive of their expressed needs for union support.”
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He added that the executives are ‘brutal’ in their assertions and ‘careless’ of what the closure and redundancy mean for their employees and the community they have relied on for ‘much good will’.
Mr Barraclough said:
“While we’re disappointed to hear of the plans to ballot for strike action, the wellbeing of our employees has been at the heart of our approach from the very beginning, and we will continue to provide support to all our staff at the ILC.
“Unite’s statement misrepresents and does not accurately reflect the extensive engagement and the sincere efforts that have been made to support our colleagues throughout this period of change.
“Our priority continues to be focused on listening to our employees and working closely with their representatives to shape, and where appropriate, enhance the support available to them.
“The phased transition over 18 months has been thoughtfully designed to give as much notice as possible to our valued ILC colleagues, so that we may support them and their families during this difficult time, whilst supporting the long-term delivery of the RNLI’s vital lifesaving service.
“This firm commitment is reflected in the comprehensive transitional support plan that we have developed through formal consultation, regular employee forum meetings, drop-in sessions, and one-to-one conversations.”
He said the RNLI is ‘fully supportive’ of the statutory recognition process being managed by the Central Arbitration Committee and awaits its decision to grant Unite collective bargaining status.
Mr Barraclough added that in the meantime the charity continues to discuss the matter on an ‘informal basis’.
In 2026 Britain sadly loyal service counts for nothing.