Astra Zeneca pension strikes continue

Macclesfield, UK – Strike actions are continuing at Astra Zeneca’s giant Macclesfield manufacturing site - the group’s second largest site in the world, in a dispute over pensions

Around 250 members of the GMB union this week staged a sixth day of strike action (on 12 Oct), while continuing with an overtime ban which started 23 Sept. This followed five days of actions last month, the strikes typically involving shift walk outs lasting 2-4 hours.
 
The GMB is fighting a company decision to impose cuts to its final salary pension scheme. The union claims its members at the site have voted by a more than 70% to strike for the first time in the history of the plant.
  
“The company have made no attempt to negotiate or even discuss the matter with GMB,” said Neil Holden, GMB officer. “GMB again urge the company to return to the negotiation table with to resolve this issue.
 
“This hugely profitable company is attacking GMB members’ pensions while its chief executive, David Brennan, has reached third in the UK league of the top boss’s pension entitlements.”