| European Unilever workers stand together |
By: Rebecca Hubbard
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Posted: Wednesday, February 15, 2012 12:20 pm
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According to Unite, European Unilever workers will be uniting together this week to protest against further cost cutting following attacks by Unilever on UK workers’ pensions.
UK workers will travel to Rotterdam to join European Unilever colleagues from other unions outside the company's headquarters. There, tomorrow, they will be defending their jobs, pensions and pay.
According to Unite, the trade union, Unilever recently announced solid sales and healthy profits but is still demanding that their long serving UK workers accept cuts to their pensions. Despite admitting that there is “no pressing financial imperative” to make these changes, the company initially insisted it would not negotiate because it was applying a global policy, decided on unilaterally.
Unite say that as a result, thousands of UK workers took part in strike action, for the first time in their history. After weeks of strikes and protests the company has recognised the need to talk with UK unions. However, according to Unite, the dispute is far from over with workers still to vote on alternative proposals and Unilever workers across Europe fearing that they too will be made to pay for Unilever’s future profits.
Ahead of the protest, Jennie Formby, Unite's national officer, said: “Paul Polman needs to practice what he preaches. He has pledged to double Unilever’s revenue over the next ten years, promoting what he calls ‘sustainable living’. He should instead be focusing on long term sustainable employment and benefits for his staff.
“Executive greed and compensation must be challenged. There was no need to slice the pension of Unilever’s hard working staff. And workers shouldn’t be made to pay for Unilever’s future profits by sacrificing jobs or pay.
“Enough is enough. UK workers will stand shoulder-to-shoulder on Thursday with their European colleagues to voice their anger and determination to fight any further attacks either on our members or on fellow workers in Europe and globally.” |
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