9 January, 2012
UK mobilisation in front of a second wave of Unilever strikes to begin on 17 January occurs tomorrow when three affiliates of the ICEM and the International Union of Food and Agricultural Workers’ Association (IUF) protest in front of Unilever’s London headquarters at 100 Victoria Embankment.
Unite the Union, the Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers (USDAW), and GMB will conduct the rally beginning at 12 noon on 10 January over the food and consumer products company’s insistence on scrapping the final pension scheme for 7,000 workers. Unilever’s proposal would gut between 20-40% of pension earnings for one-third of its UK workforce.
Unite Battle Bus
Unite will dispatch its “battle bus” to Unilever’s corporate offices tomorrow. It will leave Unite’s Holborn Street building at 10h30. The action comes four days after a joint union delegates’ conference of Unilever worksite leaders met in Liverpool and decided to unleash a second set of strike actions to begin 17 January and to run 12 days.
On 9 December, some 5,000 union members staged a 24-hour work stoppage at 11 Unilever plants in the UK, the first industrial action in UK history at the Anglo-Dutch multinational. The lawful strike saw Unilever bosses retaliate with the petty act of cancelling staff Christmas parties and withdrawing a £15 holiday gift voucher to strikers.
Unilever’s gutting of the pension scheme for active workers is further insult by the company, which in 2008 eliminating the pension scheme for new hires. The company and unions negotiated late last week but there was no sign that Unilever would accept a union compromise on the pension scheme.
Unite's Jennie Formby
Unite National Officer Jennie Formby said, “Our members have dedicated their time and hard work to help Unilever build leading brands. We have shown the company that there is no need to destroy the reputation of a blue chip company because there is a solution on the table if they will talk with the union.”
Unilever’s factories where strike actions have occurred and where workers will again strike on 17 January are located in Purfleet, Warrington, Trafford Park, Port Sunlight, Wirral, Manchester, Leeds, Glocester, Burton-on-Trent, Chester, and Crumlin.
Unilever produces Dove soap, Marmite, PG Tips, Pot Noodle, Hellman’s mayonnaise, and several other consumer products at these plants.