Fujitsu Ballot Starts Today!

Fujitsu staff to vote on industrial action

IT services firm Fujitsu are to face a ballot for industrial action this week in a dispute about redundancies and the proposed closure of its final-salary pension scheme.

The Japanese company, which employs 12,500 people in the UK, had announced its intention in August to cut 1,200 jobs and close the defined-benefit pension scheme – which has 4,000 current members – for future accrual. The plans have angered the Unite union, which says they are unnecessary and the business is still doing well.

Unite will ballot its members at Fujitsu from today and the result is expected at the end of the month.

A previous consultative ballot had indicated that 87 per cent of unionised staff were in favour of a strike.

Peter Skyte, Unite national officer, said: “Members are asking why they should lose their jobs or tighten their belts when last year the company paid about £150 million to shareholders and £1.6 million to two directors as compensation for loss of office.”

Skyte added: “Fujitsu remains a highly profitable company and our members insist that it must treat them fairly, increase pay, provide decent pensions and consult meaningfully to minimise job losses and avoid compulsory redundancies.”