The Socialist 18 January 2012

Stand Up to Tory Bullies

Stand up to Tory bullies

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

Them & Us

Keep private vultures out of our NHS!

End the slave labour culture of workfare

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

Jobs massacre at La Senza

Doctors support call for action

Rob Windsor: socialist fighter and Coventry Socialist Party councillor 1964-2012

1972 Derry - "this was murder"

EDL intimidation fails in Barking

Save community schools - no to academies

Protect women's rights - oppose the abstinence bill

Greece: Non-payment movement against new housing tax

Irish 'poll tax' battle has begun

Nigeria: Fuel strike suspended

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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!'

In this issue

Anti-cuts campaign

Stand up to Tory bullies