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Press Release

Unilever workers in first UK strike against greedy boardroom raid on their pensions

7 December 2011

Unilever workers fighting an unjustified attack on their pensions will take part in their first ever strike action on Friday 9 December.

More than 2,500 workers from Unilever's sites at Purfleet, Port Sunlight, Warrington, Leeds, Crumlin, Gloucester, Manchester, Burton-on-Trent and Chester will join picket lines from 7.00 am as part of a widespread day of action to protect their pensions.

The stoppages will hit production of the global giant's leading brands, including Dove, Marmite, PG Tips, Pot Noodle and Hellman's mayonnaise.

Unite, the lead union at Unilever, is furious with the company's plans to axe the final salary pension scheme, which will see the retirement income of thousands of staff slashed by up to 40 Per cent. Unilever promised to secure the scheme for its existing members when it closed the final salary pension scheme to new entrants in 2008. Yet the company intends to push ahead with plans to close the scheme to its existing members and transfer them to an inferior career average revalued earning (CARE) scheme with effect from 1 July next year.

Unite is urging Unilever to reconsider these unjust proposals and return to negotiations with the trade unions.

Jennie Formby, Unite national officer, said: “Thousands of our members will walkout on Friday 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. This is a disgraceful incidence of a wealthy global company using the recession as cover to raid the pensions of the less well off.

“Unite is demanding that Unilever reconsiders its plans. 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.

"Striking workers wearing face masks of Unilever's chief executive, Paul Polman, will be demanding 'hand off our pensions'. Wealthy Mr Polman should reflect on what he would do if he was 'faced' with the pension cuts that he plans to impose.

"Unite remains ready and willing to talk at any time."



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