Scrooge visits Fujitsu HQ as Unite announces first ever national
strike in a UK IT company over jobs, pay and pensions
11th December 2009
Unite, the largest union in the UK, has today (Friday, 11th
December) served notice of six strike days on IT services company
Fujitsu to take place on the 18th December and continuing in the
New Year on the 7th, 8th, 11th, 14th and 15th January.
This follows the vote of Unite members in the company by a
majority of 75 per cent voting for industrial action and 92 per
cent voting for action short of a strike. According to the union,
this would be the first ever national strike in the IT sector in
the UK.
The strike is over proposals for 1,000 redundancies in the UK, a
pay freeze imposed earlier this year, and plans by the company to
close the main final salary pension scheme to future accrual,
reducing the total pay package of each affected employee by
typically around 20 per cent.
The union intends to stage a “Scrooge” protest outside the
company’s London headquarters on 18th December, contrasting the
company’s treatment of staff with last year’s £200 million profit
and the £1.6 million paid out to two directors as “compensation for
loss of office”.
Unite had originally called action in November, but this was
withdrawn when the company agreed to talks and to relax deadlines
on jobs and pensions. The talks resulted in an offer from Fujitsu
which was rejected by 83 per cent of members.
Derek Simpson, Unite joint general secretary, said: “Whilst we
remain ready and willing to talk at any time, this further
rejection of the company’s position leaves no doubt our members
saying enough is enough.
“We recognise the effect any industrial action will have on key
private and public sector customers and clients of Fujitsu, but the
responsibility for this rests squarely with the company for failing
to address the issues.”
Fujitsu Services continues to make substantial profits, with a
£200 million profit before taxation last year, while the parent
company is cash rich, having raised over $900 million from a share
sale. Announcing the latest results on 28 October, the Fujitsu
president highlighted that for the first half of the year, the
company beat its earnings target despite a very challenging
business environment.
Fujitsu employs around 11,500 people in the UK. Fujitsu’s main
sites are at Bracknell, Stevenage, Manchester, Crewe, Belfast,
Staines, Basingstoke, Wakefield, Sheffield, Solihull, Telford,
Swansea, Slough, Lewes, Warrington, Cardiff, Londonderry, Bristol,
Newcastle and London.
ENDS
Photo opportunity at Fujitsu HQ: 12:00, Friday 18th December,
Fujitsu, 22 Baker Street, London, W1U 3BW
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