Demonstrators have gathered outside the Nissan factory in Sunderland to protest changes to the firm’s pension scheme.
Unite the Union is accused the Japanese car maker of showing “disdain and disregard” for workers by closing its defined benefits pension programme.
Around 2,000 employees are affected by the changes. The protests were the first of their kind since the plant opened in 1984.
We aim to provide competitive benefits to our highly valued staff, but these have to be balanced with the long term sustainability of our business. The level of company investment needed to maintain the defined benefit pension plan has grown to unsustainable levels
Unite has called the changes “opportunistic” and say staff stand to loose thousands of pounds from their pensions.
It is calling on Nissan to provide compensation for affected employees.
The opportunistic closure of the defined benefits scheme will reduce the financial security of nearly 2,000 of the company’s longest serving and loyal staff by tens of thousands of pounds. These staff are facing an unexpected and gaping hole in their financial security during retirement, but rather than attempt to find a compromise Nissan has met their concerns with disdain and disregard.
— to www.itv.com
