Hundreds of workers at a Huddersfield firm are being balloted for industrial action over controversial pension changes.
Voting papers are being sent to the home addresses of Unite members at agri-chemicals business Syngenta over changes to the firm’s final salary pension scheme.
The outcome of the ballot is expected to be known in two to three weeks.
Syngenta said it was “disappointed” that Unite members at Huddersfield were balloting for strike action over the changes, which the company said were introduced to secure the long term sustainability of the UK pension fund and maintain long-term sustainable operations in the UK.
The changes, which affect two-thirds of the Leeds Road site’s 380 employees, see employees’ pensions based on their pensionable pay at March 1, 2015, no matter how many more years they may be employed by the company or how their pay may increase over that period.
Unite, which represents most of those affected, said workers would be thousands of pounds worse off – effectively halving the pension that workers in their 30s and 40s could otherwise expect on retirement.
A statement by Syngenta said: “Following a consultation process in 2014, concessions were made by the company, allowing staff to retain access to a very good defined benefit pension scheme, while allowing other earnings to be included in a newer market competitive scheme.”
Alistair Conn, site manager at Syngenta, said: “ I understand the enormous depth of feeling on this issue by staff at Huddersfield.
“Everyone has worked hard to create a valued and award-winning site within Syngenta, but strike action would not result in a beneficial outcome for our people or our site. I urge our people to vote No to strike action.”
