Belfast Fujitsu workers strike

down | worker & community struggles and protests | news report

Thursday January 07, 2010 12:03

by MH - International Socialists

Spread the solidarity

Fujitsu workers in the North have begun 3 days of strike action in opposition to a massive assault by bosses on conditions.

Management want over a thousand job losses, a continuation of a pay freeze and radically change pension arrangements. 700 people work for Fujitsu in Northern Ireland and it's clear the company are using the recession to push through cuts. Other bosses will replicate Fujitsu's approach if they get away with it. According to the strikers "Fujitsu Services’ profits more than doubled last year to £177m (the highest ever)." Clearly the money is there.
The strike leaders are seeking solidarity: messages of support (there is a facebook group), collections and circulating their material (see leaflet and donation sheet posted on link below).
The spreading of solidarity is key to challenging the notion that workers are "lucky to have a job" - one which is allowing the bosses in both private and public sectors to implement detrimental changes to employment conditions.

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Comments (6 of 6)

eirigi support for Fujitsu Workers

by JM

Thu Jan 07, 2010 17:28

Support the Fujitsu Workers

07/01/10

éirígí chairperson Brian Leeson has expressed the party’s support for workers from the Japanese-owned technology firm Fujitsu who have begun strike action in the Six Counties.

The workers are taking the action in protest at the company’s plans to axe jobs, freeze wages and cut pension payments. Last year, Fujitsu announced plans to cut 1,200 jobs in Ireland and Britain. Workers at Fujitsu plants in England are also out on strike.

Fujitsu Services continues to make substantial profits despite the global recession, with £200 million profit before taxation in 2008, while the parent company is cash rich, having raised over $900 million from a recent share sale. Announcing the latest results on October 28 last year, the Fujitsu president highlighted that, for the first half of the year, “the company beat its earnings target despite a very challenging business environment”.

Leeson said: “Fujitsu is not a company that is in danger of going bust due to the economic crisis or even one that is struggling. In fact, it is a highly profitable and successful company that is attempting to take advantage of the recession in order to axe jobs, freeze wages and cut pension payments. This is totally unacceptable.

“The workers at the company are right to take strike action to protect their entitlements. After all, it is their hard work that has put Fujitsu in the financial position it is in.”

Leeson continued: “Fujitsu’s plans to attack the living standards and rights of its staff are part of a broader war that is being waged upon working people by both the business class and government. This war is being waged in Ireland and across the world.

“Therefore, it is encouraging that workers in Ireland and England are taking part in today’s strike action. The concept of solidarity between working people of all creeds and nationalities needs to again come to the fore if the class war being waged by big business is to be successfully defeated.

“As the workers in Fujitsu have today demonstrated, the picket lines and on the streets is where these battles have to be fought and won.”

Fujitsu workers will be taking further strike action tomorrow [Friday], Monday [January 11] and January 14 and 15.

Support for British military providers?

by Fergie

Thu Jan 07, 2010 20:06

How mad is that - éirígí expressing support for one of the main suppliers of software and hardware to the British armed forces, a company who have been insturmental in developing the British military computer backbone the Defence Information Infrastructure (DII).
Shame on you!

Re: Fergie

by Séamus

Fri Jan 08, 2010 14:00

The Futjitsu centre in Belfast is a 'recovery and repair' service centre that deals with old and broken hardware.

There is a question about what role Fujitsu does play as a provider to the British MoD and even to what extent workers in Britain are aware of this - a majority of their sales is to the British public sector in different ways.

Its not hard to see what Fujitsu do if you actually look

by Jade

Fri Jan 08, 2010 18:34

"There is a question about what role Fujitsu does play as a provider to the British MoD "
Rubbish. Its not hard to find an answer if you could be bothered to look.
Let me make it easy for you

http://www.computing.co.uk/computing/news/2241442/fujit...33170

http://www.fujitsu.com/uk/industries/defence/experience/

http://ts.fujitsu.com/ps2/press/read/news_details.aspx?...=3767

http://www.computerweekly.com/Articles/2009/01/29/23450...m.htm

As Fergie said, Fujitsu do a lot of work for the british war machine and a lot more besides. Fujitsu have been working on so-called defence projects for years and partner with the likes of Lockheed Martin, General Dynamics, Raytheon and Thales. They are directly involved with trials in places life Afghanistan and Iraq. As for the claim that the people do not know they are doing work on these kind of projects, they would need to be pretty stupid not to - pretty stupid people would not be doing this kind of work so that claim is just plain dumb.
And even if they did not know, it does not excuse it or does not mean its ok to overlook it as Seamus seems to think.

Some of you need to open your eyes and look a bit more before jumping in to defend those who benefit from the deaths and misery of the defenceless.

Jade

Fri Jan 08, 2010 23:30

Thanks for the info.

Nice one

Sat Jan 09, 2010 14:11

Séamus you're right it's easy for people working for such companies to be kept in the dark so it's all the more important we expose them for what they are. Imagine listening to the news when you went home one evening and finding out you had contributed to the deaths of 50 people in a Gazamarket place. It would be devestating.

Jade thanks a lot for the info. Should help promote the awareness of the people who read Indy and help them realise that yet another of the seemingly innocent companies in our midst is anything but.

Nice one folks!
Fergus

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Belfast Fujitsu workers strike

Comments (6 of 6)