FERRY workers at Red Funnel will walk out for 24 hours in four separate days of industrial action.

The Unite union members will walk out on July 27 and August 1,3 and 5.

Further dates are planned throughout August including on August 9, 11, 15, 17, 19, 23, 26

Unite members will be taking action over the Cowes Week sailing regatta and the start of the school summer holidays in a dispute over pay and conditions.

Staff have rejected a pay offer of 4.5 per cent from the company, increasing to 6.5 per cent for the lowest paid staff, because they say it is far below the real cost of living, currently running at 11.7 per cent and rising. 

Around 120 staff will take action, says Unite union.

It says its workers are using food banks and are spending days away from home with no overnight pay or expenses

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: "Our members are absolutely right to strike to end this injustice. 

"Unite will be supporting them with its full force every step of the way."

READ MORE: Red Funnel staff to strike over pay

Why are Red Funnel staff planning to strike?

Unite says customer service staff, shunters and ratings are increasingly struggling to pay their rents and says some are turning to food banks and ‘making the most’ of onboard food allowances at work to keep bills down.

Isle of Wight workeers says they find themselves away from home for days at time, due to crossing times, and are only paid the hours they work onboard the ferry.

Red Funnel says it provides its staff with accommodation but Unite says there are no cooking facilities, except a microwave, and says employees' sleep is disturbed. 

Unite regional officer Ian Woodland said: "Our members don’t want to strike but Red Funnel has left them with no choice.

"Red Funnel’s treatment of its workforce is the reason Cowes Week and Isle of Wight summer holiday plans will be disrupted.

"There is still time to end this dispute before strikes occur, but Red Funnel needs to come back with an offer that meets our members' aspirations."

Daily Echo:

What has Red Funnel said?

Last week, Red Funnel said: "We expect to keep sailing on these dates, albeit to a revised vehicle ferry timetable. Our Hi-Speed Red Jet service is expected to operate as scheduled.

"Now that we have dates in hand, we can proceed to finalising an updated timetable, which we intend to share by Wednesday, 13 July.  In the meantime, we ask that customers bear with us and please refrain from calling our contact centre team with related queries at this time.  

"As ever, our priority is to ensure the Island community remains connected and that we continue to provide our lifeline service.”

Red Jets cross between Southampton and Cowes around 20 times per day, Monday to Saturday and 15 times on Sunday. 

The Red Funnel car ferry, between Southampton and East Cowes, makes 19 crossings daily.