14 DAY TRIAL // Fujitsu employees belonging to the Unite union have been planning on participation in repeated walkouts since November. The workers were angry at how Fujitsu started to cut its workforce through 1,200 planned redundancies, out of which 90% have already taken place. The Unite members also protest at the pay freeze imposed by the company and their plan to no longer implement the main salary pension scheme.
“It seems that the company is hiding behind the recession to attack the pay and conditions of their workforce. Our members would prefer not to strike, but feel strongly that Fujitsu is not listening to their genuine concerns and that enough is enough. We want the company to return to the negotiating table with a sensible offer acceptable to our membership,” said Unite IT and communications national officer Peter Skyte.
Fujitsu does not condone the walkout and says that this national strike is unbefitting considering the fact that consultation is still in progress. This strike was originally planned for November but was stopped when Fujitsu agreed to negotiate on the subjects of deadlines and pensions. The offer later made by the company was denied by 83% of all the Unite members.
The participants to the walkout amount to about 1,500. This implies that Unite members make up about 13% of Fujitsu's 11,500 workers, employees based in various locations such as Basingstoke, Bracknell, Belfast, Bristol, Cardiff, Crewe, Lewes, Manchester, Stevenage, Staines, Sheffield, Slough, Solihull, Swansea, Telford, Warrington, Londonderry,Wakefield, Newcastle upon Tyne and London.
“Our members are clearly angry with the way the company has treated them. Their pay has been frozen, compulsory redundancies are being pushed through and their pension scheme is under attack. All of this is happening at a time when the company is making substantial profits," said Skyte.
The Unite members are holding this first national IT walkout in front of Fujitsu's London headquarters. The walkout itself had already been planned at the beginning of the month, along with five more set for January 7, 8, 11, 14 and 15.