Union moots industrial action over Fujitsu pension cut
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Unite ballots members over possible strike action to protest Fujitsu Services plan that it says will cut staff pensions by 20%
The UK’s largest trade union is this week preparing to take industrial action against technology giant Fujitsu in protest of a new pension plan that is says cut the total pay an employee receives by 20%.
Unite is conducting a ballot of its 1,500 members who work for the company. In a ‘consultative ballot’ of all its members conducted earlier this year, 87% were in favour of strike action against Fujitsu.
In August 2009, Fujitsu Services announced plans to cut 1,200 jobs in the UK, and earlier this year imposed a pay freeze. “Unite members are asking why they should lose their jobs and tighten their belts when last year the company paid out about £150m to shareholders and around £1.6m to two directors as compensation for loss of office,” said Unite national officer Peter Skyte.
Earlier this year, when HP faced industrial action from Unite, it pointed to the small proportion of its UK workforce that were members of the union. In Fujistu’s case, the 1,500 Unite members represent around 10% of its UK workforce.
Fujitsu itself declined the opportunity to provide comment for this story.
