A redundancy consultation opened by the RNLI is facing scrutiny from the trade union Unite, which claims that the charity’s workers are being “denied a voice” on proposed closure plans at one of its manufacturing sites.
RNLI began a redundancy consultation after proposing to move the production of its inshore lifeboats from the Isle of Wight to its manufacturing site in Poole, Dorset from the end of 2027, resulting in the closure of the Isle of Wight site.
A charity spokesperson told Civil Society that the proposals had been made as demand for lifeboat production is expected to fall by a third in the future, meaning that the charity “will not have enough work to justify two facilities”.
With the Inshore Lifeboat Centre (ILC) on the Isle of Wight being “an older, smaller facility”, which would require around £5m of capital investment to remain compliant, the charity said that the Poole site is “newer, larger and more capable”.
RNLI’s 70 members of staff at the ILC are therefore “currently in consultation”, the charity said, but it has not confirmed how many jobs will be affected if the proposed closure goes ahead.
RNLI refuses to recognise union formally
According to Unite, RNLI staff from the ILC have been calling for the trade union to be formally recognised at their workplace in response to the proposed closure and risk to their jobs.
However, the union said the charity responded to its request by saying this was not needed as there was already a works council in place.
Unite said that “this argument does not stand up legally, as a works council does not undertake the independent collective bargaining or negotiation which can only be done by a trade union”.
The union is now set to begin the formal legal process to recognise the union, going through the Central Arbitration Committee (CAC) asking for statutory recognition.
Unite regional co-ordinating officer, Jamie Major, said: “It is deeply disappointing that an organisation such as the RNLI is choosing to go down this route of refusing to recognise Unite and deploying tactics to avoid giving its hardworking staff a voice.
“Unite has no choice but to begin the formal legal process to ensure our members have proper representation and leverage over what happens to their jobs, pay and conditions – especially given the current situation which has left these workers with huge uncertainty around their futures.”
A spokesperson for the charity told Civil Society it had “carefully considered” the request from Unite.
“In doing so, the charity took into account its existing support forum for staff which is involved and helping staff from the ILC,” they said.
“This forum, known as Channel, is a recognised body for the purpose for redundancy consultation, and we have an information and consultation agreement with Channel.
“An additional specific ILC staff forum has been created which has been set up for the ILC team during which they have been fully involved in the consultation process including, by way of an example, deciding on the length of consultation and when it should start.
“While we are rejecting the request from Unite, any RNLI staff from the ILC who are members can be accompanied by Unite at any forthcoming individual meetings.”
