Fujitsu workers to strike

WORKERS from IT giant Fujitsu are due to go on a one-day strike on September 19 in a dispute with the company over pay.

Workers from both the PCS and Unite Unions have agreed to strike over a below-inflation pay offer, and what the unions say is a failure by the company to meet previous pay agreements despite the fact that performance targets were met.

Some 85% of Unite union workers at Fujitsu in Manchester, where the company has a base at the Central Park development, voted for industrial action over breaches of agreements and what the union described as a “breakdown in industrial relations”.

The Manchester base has been the scene of previous industrial action in recent years.

Fujitsu workers in Crewe were yesterday holding a ballot to decide whether they should take industrial action over a separate dispute.

Len McCluskey, Unite general secretary, said: “Unite will not accept any situation where an employer can arbitrarily break negotiated agreements.

“This dispute can only be resolved through negotiations and coming to an agreement with the workforce. We remain available to talk at any time and urge management to get around the table so we can have a negotiated settlement.”