RNLI lifeboat workers are going on strike in a row over redundancy payments after the charity announced the closure of its Inshore Lifeboat Centre on the Isle of Wight by 2028, Unite said on Monday.

Unite said the RNLI’s plans to only build lifeboats in Poole, Dorset, instead will cause job losses and have a huge impact on the local community and local marine industry.

Workers at the centre will take industrial action on August 11, 19 and 25 after talks between conciliatory body Acas and the RNLI have broken down.

Unite members say that moving to the more expensive Poole area from the island isn’t feasible for their finances or their families.

The union’s general secretary Sharon Graham said: “The behaviour of the RNLI throughout this dispute has been a complete disgrace. While our members face uncertainty about their futures, it has refused to engage meaningfully with the union.”

RNLI chief engineer and technical director Ross Barraclough said: “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. We are mindful that we are a charity and must always consider this when spending donor’s money, the enhanced package we have offered to ILC staff goes above statutory requirement and compares positively across the charity sector.”