Thousands of Unilever workers to strike for 12 days in pensions row

January 8th, 2012

FAKE NEWS for the Zionist agenda

Stoppages will hit production of the global giant’s leading brands,
including Dove, Marmite, PG Tips, Pot Noodle and Hellman’s Mayonnaise

By
Gareth Finighan

Last updated at 8:00 PM on 7th January 2012

Workers at consumer goods giant Unilever are to stage a series of strikes in a huge escalation of a row over pensions.

Leaders of three trade unions today decided to call strikes for up to 12 days starting on January 17. Thousands of employees will be involved at sites across the country and unions said the action will hit production of goods including Marmite and PG Tips.

Workers held a one-day strike last year in protest at the ending of Unilever’s final salary pension scheme.

Tough business decision: The London headquarters of food group Unilever, which manufactures such products as Marmite and PG Tips

Unilever workers from sites at Purfleet, Port Sunlight, Warrington, Leeds, Crumlin, Gloucester, Manchester, Burton-on-Trent and Chester say they are fighting an ‘unjustified’ attack on their pensions.

Unite, the GMB and Usdaw say the company’s plans to axe the final salary pension scheme will see the retirement income of thousands of staff slashed by up to 40 per cent.

Jennie Formby, national officer of Unite, said after today’s union meeting in Liverpool: ‘It would seem that Unilever believed the workers would give up after one day’s strike but they are badly mistaken.

Sending out a message: The GMB's national officer, Allan Black

Sending out a message: The GMB’s national officer, Allan Black

‘The workforce is angry that the company has refused to meet us or to attend talks at the conciliation service Acas.’

Allan Black, national officer of the GMB said: ‘Unilever need to get the message that profitable companies will not be allowed to walk away from their savings commitments to their loyal workforce.’

Mr Black warned of further strikes unless the row is resolved.

The announcement comes after another leading union leader – Mark Serwotka of the Public and Commercial Services union – said workers across the country faced a ‘pivotal moment’ in their fight against pension cuts.

Mr Serwotka said that if the unions were still united, they should call for another national strike.

Unilever issued a statement saying: ‘Whilst we fully respect the right of our employees to protest about the changes we are planning to make to our UK pensions arrangements, we remain deeply concerned by the disproportionate action the trade unions are taking.

‘This was a tough but necessary choice which reflects the realities of rising life expectancy and increased market volatility.

‘We believe the provision of final salary pensions is a broken model which is no longer appropriate for Unilever.

Everybody out: Last year public sector workers carried out a series of strikes. Could 2012 see similar widespread walkouts?

‘It is our responsibility to protect the long-term sustainability and competitiveness of our business, and to do so is in the best interests of our people.’

The company added that its new pension plan was ‘exceptionally competative’ and only devised after extensive consultation with staff.

‘We believe these significant changes underscore the value and legitimacy of the consultation process which was concluded in early October,’ the company said.

‘It is currently not clear how the dispute with the trade unions will be resolved but we are continuing to urge our employees who have participated in industrial action to give further objective consideration to the very competitive new arrangements.

‘By continuing to offer all of our employees a defined benefit career average pension plan on their earnings up to £48,000, we are offering arrangements which are unavailable at most other companies in the UK.’

Here’s what other readers have said. Why not add your thoughts,
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if you enter into a contract(which a pension scheme is) do you think mortgage companies or anyone else would let you renegotiate the terms half way through because you now don´t like the sums involved?No they would either forclose or sue you for breach of contract!!!So come on companies stand by your obligations!!!

– peter, leicester, 08/1/2012 06:06

Unilever: Just bite the bullet….close your doors for 12 days. These greedy fools will be the losers. Then, and only then, will the strikers see the folly that their union has foisted upon them.

– Ivor Court, Hamburg, Germany., 08/1/2012 05:10

I believe that after the last strike Unilever withdrew all their employees perks as a punishment. I used to work for Unilever and we weren’t allowed to join a union, when we tried we had a visit from a top boss from London who talked us out of it but nothing changed. I never had a pay rise all the time I was there, they told me my work wasn’t good enough. After I left I did the same job elsewhere and was made supervisor. Unilever asked me to return to help out when they were short staffed. I told them where to go.

– Someone, Somewhere, 08/1/2012 05:02

I am in Thailand and have just watched this report on BBC World News and just like this article they did not say what profits this company is making. Come on D.M. there are two sides to every story, and greed of the company is the other side of the story.

– Who hates the English the most? Successive English governments., Carmarthen, Wales., 08/1/2012 04:12

Idiots led by dinosaurs !
It won’t save their pensions and all it will do will lose them 12 days wages. It may also cause the company to reduce the workforce at a later stage. With the amount of unemployed people out there these idiots should have a long hard think. they may end up as one of the unemployed.

– Duncan W, Samui, Thailand, 08/1/2012 01:41

Don’t let the Private Sector take ‘advantage’ of it’s WORKERS or ELSE – Expect MANY MORE STRIKES as most companies rate their shareholders over their WORKERS…

– PrivateSi, USUK.co.EU, A Globe, 08/1/2012 01:12

I wish I was earning so much that I could afford to not get paid for 12 days.

– Keith Orange, Doncaster – UK, 08/1/2012 00:19

About time the private sector started to stand up for themselves. The millionaires running the companies sure wont.

– Wurzel, Somersetshire, 08/1/2012 00:07

Its disgraceful.Biting the hand that feeds them. Unilever wages and perks are some of the highest in the country. They should be grateful they have a job at all in this climate. What’s the matter with people these days?

– rajeev, london, 07/1/2012 23:50

Where are all the comments about the disgusting strikers? Oh I see, they are not public employees !!!

– erik, orkney, 07/1/2012 23:00

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