November 21, 2022 12.00 pm This story is over 26 months old

‘Your toilets stink’: Workers protest over loos at RAF Cranwell

Unite members made their feelings known

Around a dozen workers and their families protested outside RAF Cranwell at the weekend over the Ministry of Defence’s alleged failure to provide decent toilets for workers.

A protest was held on World Toilet Day – Saturday, November 19 – where members of Unite the union wanted to make their feelings known about the issue. However, it is not unique to just the Lincolnshire airbase as other female civilian MoD workers have reported similar problems across the UK.

After the protest, Paula Stephens, Regional Officer at Unite for the East Midlands region, said: “We had a good turn out with members and their families showing solidarity in support.

“We are hopeful that this display will encourage the MoD to move quickly and put a resolution in place that will give our female firefighters and their male counterparts the dignity at work they have a right to expect.”

They held up a banner saying ‘Your Toilets Stink – Sort It Out’.

Unite said that for eight years firefighters at the base near Sleaford have been complaining about inadequate toilet and shower facilities, but claimed the MoD has failed to make any progress.

The problem is said to have first arisen when the first female civilian firefighters were recruited to the base in 2014. Unite said it became apparent the ageing facilities in place were not fit for purpose and were not adequate for unisex use.

Workers and their families held a protest outside RAF Cranwell over the Ministry of Defence’s alleged failure to provide decent toilets for workers.

The firefighters’ union, Unite, has secured the support of Capita, which is responsible for managing the outsourced firefighter’s contract. It has offered to produce a temporary separate facility attached to the firefighter centre at RAF Cranwell.

However, due to red tape put forward by the Defence Infrastructure Organisation, which is an arm of the Ministry of Defence, a workable solution has been blocked, according to Unite.

They are calling for ‘Toilet Dignity Now’.

A Ministry of Defence spokesperson previously said: “Works are being progressed to upgrade facilities and we are working closely with our contractor to complete this as soon as possible.”

The project will provide gender neutral toilet and shower facilities. Following an increase in firefighter levels at RAF Cranwell, funding has been identified for a temporary solution in the meantime.

They want the Ministry of Defence to take action.


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