Unilever insists strikes will not hit supply
Unilever insists that there will be no supply chain disruption if workers at their UK factories do go on strike next month.
Staff yesterday (28 November) voted in favour of strike action over the closure of the final salary pension plan.
A majority of the 2,500 members of the Unite, Usdaw and GMB unions balloted voted for walkouts in December. The company employs 7,000 people across 12 factories.
A spokesman for the Persil and Flora maker say that there will be no problem getting products in to stores.
He adds: “We have had plenty of time to prepare for any industrial action – so our customers and consumers can rest assured that there will be no disruption to supply.”
The company intends to close its final salary pension scheme in April and replace it with a “career average” plan.
Unilever claims that “final salary pensions are no longer a viable option” and that pensions arrangements “have to reflect today’s realities if they are going to be sustainable”.
Allan Black, GMB National Officer, says: “The vote also shows that ordinary workers will not stand idly by to watch profitable employers like Unilever jumping on the pension’s robbery bandwagon.”
