14 DAY TRIAL // The economic recession seems to be lightening up, but companies, especially large corporations, are still feeling the consequences of it and the decisions they took during its more difficult periods. Most companies have already enacted, and are still enacting, their plans to reduce their total headcount as a means to lessen financial losses. Naturally, mass redundancies never sit well with workers, especially when they feel wronged in other ways as well. Following their decision to hold multiple walkouts, a decision that was already acted upon back in December, employees from the Unite union are again set to participate in walkouts.
Fujitsu's roughly 11,500 UK employees are spread over 100 different 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.
454 union members at Fujitsu will hold walkouts on January 22 (Friday), as well as on Friday, January 29th, Monday, February 1st, Friday, February 5th and Monday, February 8th. The reasons are the same as those detailed last month. The employees want the company to keep job cuts as low as possible and for Fujitsu to end the pay freeze.
The Unite members are upset with the fact that, despite high company profits, Fujitsu has still not ended said freeze and is even planning on closing its final salary-pension scheme on staff. According to the staff, this move will practically reduce salaries by 20 percent.
Other Unite members who are going to organize strikes are those from Northern Ireland, who have planned a walkout for 26 January, and those in Scotland and England. Those stationed in the last two locations will participate in protests on Wednesday, January 27.
Fujitsu previously attempted to reach a compromise with the workers, but its offers concerning the pensions and deadlines were rejected by 83% of the Unite members.