Argos Strike in Lutterworth

The UNITE picket line outside the Argos distribution centre at Magna Park, Lutterworth was well supported, with workers taking shifts to cover it round the clock. Passing lorries, nothing to do with the dispute were hooting their horns as they drove past the big UNITE banner.

Parish Patel, UNITE regional officer said: “Our members feel very strongly about the company’s decision is to close the final salary pension scheme and offer a lesser scheme. It will mean people working longer and getting less. The company has rejected our proposals. Our members want to make a stand and defend their pensions.

“The company are being hypocritical- the directors’ pension scheme is staying in place,  they will walk away on retirement with handsome figures!”

Another worker commented: “This is the thin end of the wedge, they want to attack all our terms and conditions. If they had their way would have us in there working for tuppence an hour. This is a cash rich company where’s all that money gone they made in the past?”

There was support amongst the pickets for the idea of uniting with public sector workers and taking general strike action around the issues that affect us all. As one worker put it: “It should have happened ages ago!”