Trade union, Unite is balloting staff at Fujitsu on jobs, pay
and pensions with a view to taking industrial action over planned
cuts to some 1,500 employees pension funds.
Staff at the firm, which includes Fujitsu Services and Fujitsu
Technology Solutions last month
voted in favour of striking against proposals to overhaul the
final salary pension scheme which would slash the total package by
20%.
The largest union in the UK, Unite has served Fujitsu with seven
days notice of the ballot, due to start on 12 October, and the
result will be available by 30 October.
"Unite members are asking why they should lose their jobs and
tighten their belts when last year the company paid out £150m to
shareholders and around £1.6m to two directors as compensation for
loss of office," said National Office Peter Skyte.
He said Fujitsu Services made £200m profit before taxation this
year, the parent had raised £500m from a share sale and senior
management had forecast record profits for the current fiscal
year.
"Fujitsu remains a highly profitable company and our members are
insisting that the company must treat them fairly and increase pay,
provide decent pensions and consult meaningfully to minimise jobs
losses and avoid compulsory redundancy," said Skyte.
The firm plans to
cut up to 1,200 jobs in the UK, around 10% of the workforce to
counter an anticipated shortfall in revenues.
A version of this story appeared on
Microscope.