Unite members strike at Fujitsu

UK WORKERS UNION Unite has called out its members at the Fujitsu plant in Crewe, after they voted to take strike action in support of a trade union activist.

The action, which is over the unfair treatment of Alan Jenney, will see workers strike at the IT services firm on Thursday, 30 June.

There will be one day of strike action along with a continued "work-to-rule and a policy of non cooperation", the union explained, as a result of a 52 per cent to 48 per cent vote by members.

Workers at Crewe are concerned that Jenney might be dismissed early next month, and Unite said that he had "been singled out and put at risk of redundancy", this, it said, was at odds to its behaviour elsewhere, where the services firm has "responded to hundreds of job losses elsewhere by supporting staff through redeployment".

"This ballot result reflects that our members are prepared to vote 'yes' to back strike action against the company's victimisation of Unite rep and co-worker, Alan Jenney who is being unfairly singled out," said Kevin O'Gallagher, Unite national officer for IT and communications.

"It is disappointing that such a major company is behaving this way towards its own employee who simply wants to be treated fairly and not singled out after 17 years of service for redundancy, without making any genuine effort to find him alternative employment. Going on strike is a last resort, but members in Crewe are behind the campaign."

Fujitsu confirmed in a call with The INQUIRER that it was aware of the strike action, but would not comment on the union's complaints. µ