Unite the Union has hit out at the RNLI’s decision to close its Inshore Lifeboat Centre in East Cowes, warning the move will devastate workers, their families and the wider Isle of Wight community.
As previously reported by Island Echo, the RNLI has confirmed plans to shut the East Cowes facility by 2028 at the latest, with production set to move to Poole in Dorset.
Around 70 people are employed at the East Cowes base, where skilled staff build, maintain and repair lifeboats used at more than half of the RNLI’s 238 stations across the UK.
Responding to the announcement, Unite general secretary Sharon Graham has said:
“It is extremely disappointing that the RNLI is determined to close this vital base. Should this go ahead, it will have a devastating impact on our members and their families.
“Our members must not be high and dry. The RNLI must work with Unite to save these vital jobs.”
The Isle of Wight site has played a key role in RNLI operations for more than 60 years, with almost 2,000 lifeboats built, maintained or repaired at the facility.
Unite says workers have faced months of uncertainty since the RNLI first revealed in October that it was considering relocating operations to its Support Centre in Poole.
The union claims staff at the Inshore Lifeboat Centre currently only have enough work to last until February, despite management indicating the site could remain open for another 18 months.
Concerns have also been raised about the feasibility of relocating workers to Dorset, with Unite claiming rising house prices and the higher cost of living in Poole make redeployment unrealistic for many employees.
Unite regional officer Jamie Major has said:
“Our immediate focus is to gain more clarity for our members and therefore we are demanding an urgent meeting with management. Our members deserve honesty from their employer and the RNLI must also find more realistic options for its staff than relocating to an area they cannot afford.
“Unite will not stand by and allow the RNLI to leave these skilled workers adrift. We will fight these devastating closure plans every step of the way and push the RNLI on more practical ways to support our members.”
Sadly job losses are a way of life.
Normal bluster from UNITE, we demand, we will not allow, well actually yes, you will have to allow and if i was th senior manager and you demanded I would put the phone down until you could speak in a more concillatory manner.
If it is about money, cut the wages of the top pen pushers. Their wages are a disgrace and then asking the general public to help fund it. If anyone deserves to be paid it should be the men and women who crew these rescue vessels. Brave does not go anywhere near to describe them and their actions. The builders of these incredible boats are second to none. IF IT AIN’T BROKE, DON’T TRY AND MEND IT, SIMPLES.
None will be able to go most in their late 40s 50s with family situations and ways of life that can’t be changed..you start to look for jobs now if any and not many at the package they have or take the redundancy which will be good but only for a year or so..if that,horrid time for all.
The plan is to eventually introduce a universal basic income
THERE WON’T BE ANY JOBS, and if persons are behaving like
numpties they will have their income STOPPED
It is coming.
Look at the state of Newport.
Shoezone are closing down, how long before the old Smiths
now TG Jones goes and Poundland goes.
TK Maxx, M&S and B&M will be the only ones left.
now the council is reform, the RNLI will get no support.
Reform hate the RNLI
No, they rightly dislike the RNLI who have been used as an entry taxi service for illegal immigrants.,From a family member who works at shoreham lifeboat response times have been seriously affected for genuine emergencies while the lifeboat trawls the channel looking for business.
Exactly Barnie