The chief executive of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) faces a formal vote of no confidence after GMB Union wrote to the body's chair.
In a letter to Lord Simon Stevens, the union's coastguard members wrote to 'formally express our lack of confidence in the leadership of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency under Chief Executive Virginia McVea'.
The coastguards also called on the board to undertake an independent review of the concerns, including:
• A perceived failure to adequately engage with and listen to the experiences and concerns of Coastguard Rescue Officers.
• Insufficient transparency in decision-making processes affecting frontline personnel.
• A culture in which legitimate concerns raised by Coastguard Rescue Officers are not addressed in a timely or meaningful manner.
• Decisions and policies that have negatively affected morale, recruitment, retention, and confidence within Coastguard Rescue Teams.
• Concerns regarding leadership accountability and responsiveness to issues raised by frontline operational personnel.
Nicola Savage, GMB National Officer said:
"These workers are the face of HM Coastguard in communities across the United Kingdom.
"They give their time, skills, and commitment to save lives across the country.
"But they need to feel backed to the hilt by the MCA and, under Ms McVea's stewardship, they don't.
"Given the farce of the renumeration payments, coastguards feel a fresh start is the only way to reinstate that trust."
