LONDON, Dec. 9 (UPI) -- Consumer goods giant Unilever suffered its first strike in Britain and retaliated by canceling striking workers' Christmas parties and bonuses, employees said.
The company has come under criticism as a "Scrooge" for playing hardball with striking workers during the holiday season, The Daily Telegraph reported.
After workers at the Persil detergent and PG Tips tea group walked out in a dispute over the axing of their pensions plan, Unilever chose to give away the thousands of hampers to charity, along with gift vouchers with 15 pounds -- about $23.50.
"We felt it would be inappropriate to provide Christmas hampers or gift vouchers to our employees at the sites where industrial action is taking place," a Unilever spokesman said. "Instead we have committed to donating these to one of our national charity partners."
Jennie Formby, a national officer of Unite, the largest trade union in Britain and Ireland with 1.5 million members, said it was "spiteful" of Unilever to cancel Christmas perks for staff on strike.
"First Unilever slash pensions, now they're canceling Christmas celebrations," she said.
"Rather than sitting down with the unions and trying to settle this dispute Unilever seem to be acting like a modern-day Scrooge," she said. "The company has a proud history of decency; this spiteful behavior is very bad for their reputation."
