Unite members to vote on Fujitsu strike

Union organises ballot to protest planned pension changes but claims vendor is "willing to consider alternative options"

Skyte: Fujitsu Services is seeking to take advantage of the recession to attack pay, pensions and conditions

Unite, the UK's largest union, is balloting 2,000 members who work for Fujitsu about possible industrial action in protest at proposed changes to the company's pension scheme.

Unite claims 4,000 employees in Fujitsu's main defined benefit pension plan will be affected by proposals to close it to future accrual. If the changes are implemented, staff will be dismissed at the end of a consultation period next month, before being re-employed on identical contracts, except for the pension provision.

Unite, which has about two million members, projects the changes could slash affected workers' total pay packages by 15 per cent or more. The union indicated that Fujitsu employs about 12,000 UK staff, 2,000 of which could take part in a consultative ballot concerning industrial action.

Peter Skyte, Unite national officer for IT and communications, said: “Our position is to protect the defined benefit pension scheme. Any changes that reduce financial risk to the company at the expense of members should be compensated for accordingly.”

Unite expressed indignation that Fujitsu would look to execute such plans after posting solid financial results for its last fiscal year. The company banked £199.2m in pre-tax profit as revenue rose 12.5 per cent to £2.8bn and gross margins grew to 19.9 per cent. Unite also highlighted the fact that two directors had recently received combined severance pay of £1.59m.

Skyte added: "Fujitsu Services is a highly profitable and successful company that is seeking to take advantage of the recession to attack pay, pensions and conditions.

"The company is indicating a willingness to constructively consider alternative pension options identified by representatives. We are insisting that the company increase pay and provide decent pensions for all its employees."