By Carole Dennett
A number of Wightlink staff have signed Letters of No Confidence in CEO Katy Taylor, it is believed the signatories include all captains working for the company.
In September, the company entered consultation with maritime union the RMT over restructuring plans the union said could put 160 jobs at risk. The cross-Solent operator refused to rule out compulsory redundancies.
The proposals included reducing deck and port officer numbers, closing onboard retail on overnight sailings, and cutting crew levels across vessels.
RMT General Secretary Eddie Dempsey said at the time that members had “given years of dedicated service to keep the Solent moving and support Island communities.” He vowed to stand “shoulder to shoulder” with Wightlink staff and threatened a strike ballot.
The ballot was cancelled on October 13 after Wightlink withdrew the proposals. Mr Dempsey called it “a successful outcome for RMT members… who stood together and showed the company they would not accept threats to their jobs or safety,” adding that the union would never accept changes that compromised jobs or safety.
A Wightlink spokeswoman said today that the company is undergoing a period of change as part of a five year modernisation plan aimed at improving flexibility, resilience and reliability. She said the company had prioritised listening to staff and supporting them through the process.
She added that the improvements would allow more sailings in 2026, noting recent additions such as extra crossings, free travel for 16 and 17 year olds, and a fixed price Sunset Flyer fare for Islanders. “Katy Taylor has the full support of our board and senior management team,” she added.
An RMT spokesperson said: “The workforce has completely lost confidence in the company’s leadership.
“There have been two industrial ballots in the space of just 12 months, the removal of the Christmas bonus, and repeated warnings from senior staff, including some captains about serious safety concerns that have been ignored by the board.
“Morale is now at rock bottom and long-standing, experienced employees are leaving in significant numbers.
“Instead of investing in the workforce, the company has ramped up the use of consultants to tear up our members’ terms and conditions, threatened employees during live disputes, imposed a recruitment freeze and then acted surprised when staffing levels collapsed and services became increasingly unreliable.
“Our members feel completely alienated from the leadership of this company and unless there is a fundamental change in approach, there will be more industrial disputes in 2026.”
Ms Taylor joined Wightlink in August 2024, following the retirement of Keith Greenwood.
