Link to this page: http://www.socialistparty.org.uk/issue/701/13518
From The Socialist newspaper, 18 January 2012
Unilever workers say hands off our pensions
Iain Dalton, Yorkshire Socialist Party
Unilever's attempt to scrap its workforce's final salary pension scheme, which will affect 5,000 workers, is being vigorously opposed. On 9 December, workers at 11 sites across the country shut down production with huge numbers taking part in the picket lines. At the Croespenmaen Pot Noodle factory in Wales, all bar one shop floor worker were present at the picket lines, with large vibrant pickets taking place elsewhere in the country.
After the demonstration outside the company's headquarters on 9 January, Unite, Usdaw and GMB called rolling action from 17 January, which will again involve 2,500 workers at sites in Purfleet, Port Sunlight, Warrington, Leeds, Crumlin, Gloucester, Manchester, Burton-on-Trent and Ewloe in Wales.
So far the company has refused to meet the unions or to go to the conciliation service Acas. Closing the scheme to new entrants in 2008 was supposed to ensure the scheme's long term future. Yet only a few years later the Unilever tops, like the Con-Dem government, are coming back for more, determined to make ordinary workers suffer at the expense of the wealthy 1%.
Future action should be co-ordinated alongside those public sector workers still fighting to defend their pensions.
The message of the unions must be clear: all workers deserve a decent pension, not the misery of pensioner poverty.
See also Unilever strike: 'It's us that make them their money!'
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In The Socialist 18 January 2012:
Anti-cuts campaign
Pensions attacks can still be defeated
Labour leadership approves the Con-Dem cuts
Cameron's attack on Scottish independence referendum backfires
Welfare Reform Bill:- Lords compromise is no victory
Ofsted: "requires improvement"
John Lewis economy: another fantasy from Corporal Clegg
Socialist Party NHS campaign
Keep private vultures out of our NHS!
Youth fight for jobs
End the slave labour culture of workfare
Socialist Party workplace news
Electricians' national meeting plans next steps in battle against pay cut
Unilever workers say hands off our pensions
South Yorkshire Stagecoach bus drivers take eighth day of strike action
Doctors support call for action
Obituary
Rob Windsor: socialist fighter and Coventry Socialist Party councillor 1964-2012
Socialist Party feature
1972 Derry - "this was murder"
Socialist Party campaigns
EDL intimidation fails in Barking
Save community schools - no to academies
Protect women's rights - oppose the abstinence bill
International socialist news and analysis
Greece: Non-payment movement against new housing tax
Irish 'poll tax' battle has begun
Nigeria: Fuel strike suspended
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