Workers spread their message ‘Hands off our pensions’ at charity
walk sponsored by Unilever
20 May 2011
Unite and Usdaw members at Unilever Port Sunlight on the Wirral
will be stepping out on the Wirral Coastal Walk, sponsored by
Unilever, to spread their message ‘Hands off our pensions!’ this
weekend.
Workers from the historic Port Sunlight factory and village,
created in 1888 for the employees of Lever Brothers and now part of
global giant Unilever, will take part in the charity walk on Sunday
22 May. They will wear ’Unilever - Hands off our pensions!’
t-shirts and hand out leaflets calling on people across the Wirral
to back their campaign to stop this attack on their pensions.
Workers will also be raising fund for local charities and donating
£200 to Age UK to demonstrate their support for pensioners already
struggling to cope financially.
Unilever, the food and household goods giant, whose brands
include PG Tips, Marmite, Dove, Comfort and Surf, is planning to
turn its back on final salary pension payouts to its long-serving
UK workforce. The company is proposing to close the scheme that
people have worked hard for and break its promise to protect their
pensions. It plans to transfer current members to the
inferior career average revalued earnings (CARE) scheme with effect
from 1 January 2012.
The workforce and their unions, Unite together with Usdaw and
GMB, have vowed to stop these pension changes being made by the
company that will not only destroy the retirement plans of
thousands of workers, but also their communities.
Speaking ahead of the event Unite national officer, Jennie
Formby, said: “Our members want to step up their fight against
Unilever’s plans to ditch its final salary pension scheme.
“Unilever Port Sunlight has been part of the Wirral for
generations – providing employment for families across the
communities. Now out of the blue, Unilever is betraying the
very staff who built up the global giant company over their future
pensions and its plans to wipe out its final salary pension
scheme.
Unite shop steward Bill Hodgson, who will be taking part in the
walk, added: “We are asking the local people to support this
betrayed workforce in their battle to stop this attack on their
pensions which would be a huge blow for the surrounding
communities.
“Charity begins at home – it’s time Unilever listened to its
loyal and long-serving workforce and the community and put a stop
to these proposals. Hands off our pensions – we have worked hard
for our retirement!”
Unite representatives from Unilever Port Sunlight will be
meeting at Seacombe Ferry Terminal, Wirral, CH44 6QY from 9.00am
until 10.00am on Sunday 22nd May.
ENDS
Notes to news editors
Closure of the scheme will affect 5,000 employees.
Unite represents 1,740 employees across all nine UK Unilever
sites.
For further information please contact Karen Viquerat on 07768
931316 or Jennie Formby on 07702 206436
