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Pilkington Glass accused of bullying over pension pay

International business Pilkington Glass, which is headquartered in St Helens, Merseyside, has been warned by trade union Unite that its staff are ready to take strike action.

Accused of bullying and intimidating workers out of their “hard earned pensions”, Pilkington Glass has been told that staff are “furious” with plans to freeze pension pay.

Unite said the company is preparing to freeze pensionable pay at the workers’ salary level from 30th April 2013, which would erode past and future benefits of the scheme to all members.

Furthermore, pensionable salaries will be fixed, so any pay rise after April this year will have have no impact on the amount staff receive after retirement.

According to Unite, Pilkington wrote to employees to inform them if they do not agree to the pension change, their pay would be fixed at its current rate with no chance of a future pay rise.

The firm stood accused of intimidating behavior, after reports that Pilkington staff were threatened with dismissal and re-engagement if they do not sign the agreement.

Unite also said Pilkington has refused to provide independent financial advice to staff who hoped to better understand the company’s proposals.

Linda McCulloch, Unite’s national officer, commented: “The owner of Pilkington Glass is attempting to bully and intimidate staff out of their hard earned pensions.

“The company has refused to negotiate or explore alternatives to freezing it’s workers’ pensionable pay.

“Staff are furious, nine in ten of them want a strike ballot and the union is taking advice from its lawyers on the legality of the company’s proposals.

“Unite is going to fight the company’s bullying behaviour until managers get around the table and negotiate a sensible and fair solution.”

Pilkington Glass currently employs 1,500 staff in the UK and is owned by Japanese-based company Nippon Sheet Glass.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Miranda Dobson .