Fujitsu strike action is called off

JAPANESE COMPUTER MANUFACTURER Fujitsu employees in the UK signed up with the trade union Unite have accepted a deal through the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (ACAS).

The ACAS proposals were accepted by Unite after an ongoing dispute over Fujitsu's jobs, pay and pensions. The four month dispute and strike action has been called off after a four to one majority vote with a 72 per cent turnout.

Unite's campaign was over a response to 1,200 potential redundancies off the back of a pay freeze last year. Fujitsu also planned to close the main final salary pension, reducing the total pay of affected employee by around 20 per cent.

Now there are only 30 redundancies with an extension of employment until 26 March and a 5 per cent increase in compensation pay for the change to a defined contribution (DC) scheme. Final salary pension gets an extra year's continuation until March 2011 and Fujitsu has a contractual obligation to provide the DC pension scheme for existing and new members.

Peter Skyte, Unite national officer for the IT sector, said the changes were a significant start but admitted Fujitsu still further amends to instigate:

"Whilst the ACAS brokered proposals do not fully satisfy our members' aspirations, there have been significant changes in the company's position on jobs, pay and pensions over the course of the dispute.

"Unite will continue to work with Fujitsu to avoid compulsory redundancies and press the company for a fairer and more open and transparent pay system that more adequately recognises and rewards the Fujitsu workforce for its contribution to the company's success and for improved pension provision." µ