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Unilever Employees to Take Strike Action over Pensions (2 December 2011)

Date: 02/12/2011

Duncan Lewis, Legal News Solicitors, Unilever Employees to Take Strike Action over Pensions

Unilever employees have voted in favour of strike action against the firm's proposals to end final salary pensions. The Anglo-Dutch firm, which produces products such as Marmite yeast extract and Persil laundry detergent, has announced its disappointment at the result of the ballot, which was organised by the unions of Unite, Usdaw and GMB.

Alan Walters, Unilever UK’s vice-president of human resources, claimed that strike action would be “regrettable”. Strike action, set to take place at 12 sites this month, was agreed to by 85 per cent of Unite's Unilever employees. GMB's Unilever employees voted three-to-one in favour of a strike. Alan Black, GMB’s national officer, claimed that the outcome of the ballot showed that ordinary workers would not agree with profitable employers, such as Unilever, ending their final salary pension scheme.

Unilever has announced that consumers would not be affected by the strikes. The unions are set to schedule dates for strike action following conveying the outcome of the vote to Unilever and holding discussions with the unions involved.

Duncan Lewis’ employment law solicitors understand that employment disputes can have a profound effect on employees. Although predominantly claimant focused, the expert department can act on behalf of both claimants and respondents in all employment law tribunal matters. The department possesses the size and experience to represent all types of employer, in addition to individual employees, across all sectors. The team can assist clients, whether they are eligible to receive public funding or are self-funding. Duncan Lewis provides fixed-fee services, allowing clients to realise the costs of legal representation upfront.