British employees at BMW‘s Mini and Rolls-Royce cars and truck plants have supported strike action over plans by the German automaker to close the company’s last salary pensions, Britain’s most significant trade union stated on Friday.
The firm wishes to close its two last wage pension schemes starting from June and move all personnel to a less generous scheme which new beginners have been part of since 2014.
An overall of 93 percent of staff members who are members of the Unite union and voted in the tally backed striking and representatives stated they would now talk about possible walkout dates including up to 3,500 employees at four sites.
“BMW has to reflect on this remarkable vote in favor of industrial action and the genuine possibility that its UK labor force will strike for the first time under its ownership in the coming weeks,” Unite General Secretary Len McCluskey stated.
BMW has formerly stated that like numerous employers it needs to cut its pension costs in order to secure its long-lasting viability.
In Britain, the company builds more than 210,000 Minis a year at its central England plant located in Oxford, almost 4,000 luxury Rolls-Royce models at Goodwood in the south and around 200,000 engines at Hams Hall close to Birmingham.
