RFA
The civilian-manned Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) provides support to Royal Navy Ships worldwide.
RFA vessels provide a platform for a range of specialist activities, including aviation training, forward repair (maintaining Royal Navy vessels at sea), casualty evacuation and treatment (hospital ships), landing military personnel and other active support during military operations.
As well as operating in war zones, RFA vessels have been involved in the fight against piracy in the Gulf of Aden, and in the seizure of illegal drugs in the Caribbean – and they have played a prominent role in disaster relief operations.
On RFA vessels, the personnel most likely to be Nautilus members are shipmasters and ship's officers (navigation and engineering). Other members of the Union work as systems engineers, or in roles such as logistics and supply management. Nautilus does not take RFA ratings as members, as another union has a recognition agreement covering this group.
Collective bargaining agreement
Nautilus has a collective bargaining (recognition) agreement with the RFA.
Related content
Negotiating
Nautilus International has a long and proud history of fighting to give maritime and inland waterways professionals the pay and conditions they deserve.
Organising
When Nautilus talks about 'organising', we mean how the Union brings people together in the workplace to negotiate and campaign as a group for better terms and conditions.
Participation
Nautilus International's members are the lifeblood of its membership. As a democratic Union, we encourage you to have your say and help us give seafarers and inland waterway workers a national and international voice.