Unilever workers in pensions strike
09 December 2011 10:04
Unilever workers are continuing the first strike in the consumer goods giant's history in a bitter row over an "unacceptable attack" on their pensions.
More than 2,500 employees across the country are involved in the industrial action, mounting picket lines at sites including Port Sunlight on the Wirral, Purfleet in Essex, Manchester, Gloucester, Burton-on-Trent and Chester.
Some workers went on strike at 7pm last night, while the action will continue until 7am tomorrow.
Unions said the stoppage will hit production of Unilever's brands including Dove, Marmite, PG Tips, Pot Noodle and Hellmans Mayonnaise.
Unilever said it was "very disappointed" at the action, adding that it had plenty of time to prepare for the strike, so its brands would be available as usual.
The dispute is over plans to axe the company's final salary pension scheme, which unions say will slash the retirement income of thousands of staff by up to 40%.
Jennie Formby, national officer at Unite, said: "Thousands of our members will walk out to show their disgust at Unilever's unacceptable attack on their pensions.
"Their pension fund is financially robust and yet Unilever, a highly profitable company, has shown little willingness to negotiate seriously to avert this dispute.
"The company is being driven by nothing other than wanton greed, putting its profit and shareholders first at the expense of the staff who have worked so hard to make Unilever the global money-maker it is today."
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