UPDATE:Unilever Staff Vote To Strike Over Pensions
28 November 2011 - 6:41PM
Dow Jones News
Workers at consumer goods giant Unilever PLC (UL) in the U.K.
have voted to take strike action in protest against plans to scrap
the company's final salary pension scheme, U.K. trade union Unite
said Monday.
Nearly 85% of those polled voted in favor of the strike, Unite
said in a statement. The union said this will mean walkouts are
likely across the company's 12 U.K. sites during December. Unilever
employs around 7,000 staff in the U.K.
Unite said it balloted over 1,600 members across nine Unilever
factories, as well as the company's research and IT staff. Members
of unions Usdaw and GMB have also voted for strike action, it
added.
Unilever's plans will lead to pension losses of around 20% for
the majority of its staff, but some individuals will lose up to 40%
of their retirement income, the union said
Unilever, the Anglo-Dutch maker of Ben & Jerry's ice cream,
Knorr soup and Bertolli olive oil spreads as well as a variety
household cleaning products, called the outcome of the vote
disappointing.
"Our pensions arrangements in the U.K. have to reflect today's
realities if they are going to be sustainable into the future and
this means making tough choices, including an acceptance that final
salary pensions are no longer a viable option for the company," it
said in a statement.
Unilever said in April it was closing the final salary pension
plan to existing employees from July next year. The revised scheme
is based on career average salaries and contributions, similar to
those offered to new employees since 2008.
Following consultation with employees earlier this year, it made
three improvements and several enhancements to its original
proposal, the company added.
At 1644 GMT, Unilever shares were trading 50 pence, or 2.5%
higher at 2065 pence, in a higher London market.
-By Simon Zekaria, Dow Jones Newswires; +44 207 842-9410;
simon.zekaria@dowjones.com
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